posted on 7 May 2009 by tony
This coming Monday, I will be at Redbones from 5-7 tasting 8 different American whiskies, 6 bourbons and 2 ryes respectively. If you’ve got the 12 bucks to get in the door and care to learn about how whiskey is distilled and it’s history in the States, I highly recommend coming. Redbones will be putting out some eats, and I think it’ll be a grand old time. The full list of what I’ll be tasting is as follows:
Bourbon:
Woodford Reserve
Elmer T. Lee
Old Fitzgerald 1849
Buffalo Trace
Four Roses Small Batch
Elijah Craig
Rye:
Michter’s
Sazerac
Anyway, hope to see you all out on Monday.
-Out.
Tags: bourbon, Redbones, rye, tastings, whiskey
Category: The Liquor Blog | Comments (3)
posted on 16 April 2009 by tony
Last night, I went out drinking with my old crew. Good times were had, many cocktails were consumed and I spent more than I responsibly should have. Anyway, while I’m out, I end up at an establishment that I probably shouldn’t call out by name, but can allude to. So this bar, named for the mythic home of the Norse pantheon, has a spirits list that I’m attempting to select a gin from. After I settled on Hendrick’s, I continued to peruse the list, as I like to know what bars are offering what spirits. I like to think of this as field research.
As always, my eyes are swiftly drawn to the dismally short bourbon list. And, wouldn’t you know, this bar has decided to list both Jack Daniel’s and Southern Comfort as bourbon. Now, I can almost understand the mistake with Jack. At least it’s whiskey. But Southern Comfort is a liqueur, saying so right on the bottle. I mean, seriously, bourbon deserves a level of respect higher than this. To top it all off, they had a separate, “small batch” list which was the list of higher end bourbons they carry. Now, the term small batch was invented by Jim Beam as a marketing strategy to differentiate the Small Batch collection from other whiskeys, especially single barrel. Before that, it had no actual meaning.
Personally, I am outraged and offended, and I hope at least someone else out there will be too. Please, visit or call this place, purportedly where Valhalla is located, and tell them that bourbon is bourbon and to keep Tennessee whiskey and liqueurs on a different list. There are rules man, and I feel they should be observed.
-Out.
Tags: bourbon, daily thoughts, gin, whiskey
Category: The Liquor Blog | Comments (1)
posted on 6 March 2009 by tony
Spring in New England is a fickle mistress. She taunts and teases for weeks before the final arrival of slightly warm weather and muddy streets. Still, as residents, we long for the moment we can cut down to 2 layers instead of 4.
Yet, from bitter experience we know that the first few warm days are merely heralds of the weeks of bitter cold to come. The final few ailments of winter strike you in these weeks, and they will be harsh indeed. With that in mind, and in conjunction with the fact I just reviewed Fighting Cock bourbon, I give to you an over-proof take on the Hot Toddy.
The Hot Cock Toddy
1.5 oz Fighting Cock
1 ounce honey
Juice of half lemon
Water
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
So what you’ll do is put everything but the bourbon into your favorite mug and then pour in boiling water. After a slight cool period, stir in the bourbon with the cinnamon stick and drink it down. Whether you have a cold or you’re just cold, you’ll have a warm feeling in your belly after this.
And hey, LUPEC, you wanna grab dinner on Saturday night?
-Out.
Tags: bourbon, drink recipes, whiskey
Category: Cocktail Recipes | Comments (0)
posted on 5 March 2009 by tony
I got nothing clever to say. I wanted to make jokes, wax eloquent on bourbon and just be all around awesome. Instead, I’m staring blankly at my computer screen, occasionally checking my ESPN widget to see what’s going on in the world of football. Inspiration has fled me. So I’m just going to sip on this glass of Fighting Cock I got sitting next to me, and kinda yammer. Let’s do this.
Actually, hold up. Let me give you a little background. Fighting Cock is brought to us by the Heaven Hill Distillery, located in Bardstown, KY. They let it rest for a relatively brief six years, and then bottled at a face ripping 103 proof. Armed with this basic information, we can dive into a glass and see what happens.
Fighting cock pours out a light honey color, with a fragrant nose brimming with alcohol and vanilla. It seems to lurk in the glass, in full knowledge of it’s power. I think the time for the first sip.
In a word, damn. The general bourbon sweetness is knocked away like a rag doll the way only an over-proof bourbon can provide. When your first sip hits the back of your throat, the heat hits, and it follows all the way down to your gullet, sending up the sweet note I was looking for initially. Kind of a dry, lingering finish keeps you from forgetting what you just did to your mouth. Personally? I’m loving it.
I’ll just say it. This is not a sipping whiskey. This is a drinking to get drunk sort of hooch. So pony up the buck and a quarter for a nip or the $18.99 and get the whole 750ml bottle. Once you pick yourself up off the kitchen floor, you will come back here and thank me. Or hit me. Whichever.
-Out.
Tags: bourbon, reviews, whiskey
Category: Spirit Reviews | Comments (0)
