Sometimes described as “white lightning”, tequila has developed a reputation of being a spirit that’s harsh and unsophisticated. Maybe many years ago the production standards were not what they are today, or maybe the really good tequila just didn’t get past the local population. If you had a source of great tequila, would you share it? Luckily times have changed […]
Recent Posts
Forty Creek Barrel Select Whisky
There are very few independent Canadian whisky distillers left, but Forty Creek is one of them, and a good one at that. The Forty Creek Distillery is located between Toronto and Niagara Falls, Ontario. It is operated by John Hall who has been a wine producer for over 20 years, and to scratch an itch, he began making whisky in […]
Maker’s Mark Bourbon
One of my favourite bourbons is Maker’s Mark, plain and simple. This whisky is big, bold and surprisingly smooth. The main thing I like about it is the moderation of the corn aromas in the nose. Being a bourbon it is obviously going to have some corn characteristics, but unlike some cheaper bourbons, Makers Mark has created a wonderful balance. […]
Woodford Reserve 1838 Sweet Mash
Bourbon is a whiskey with a long history of tradition and craftsmanship. Very few spirits, let alone other whiskies, have bourbons well-defined production specifications. The laws, on bourbon production, create a very flavourful spirit, but with such well-defined specifications, some companies lose interest in creativity. Not Woodford Reserve, and their Master Distiller Chris Morris. For the past few years they […]
Bourbon
Here is an interesting article from the New Haven Register (August 18, 1880) about how bourbon was made. It discusses both sweet mash and sour mash methods of making bourbon. It also lists a couple of laws I had never heard of before including the maximum amount of time for bourbon mash fermenting. I’ve transcribed the article, and back in […]
Frozen Blueberry Daiquiri
by Caroline O’Neil While Darcy was away at Tales of the Cocktail, I usurped his website and posted a couple of articles. Well, I am back by popular demand since many people suggested that I continue to do a guest blog posting. I figured that some people wanted a bit of a girly flare to Darcy’s fine cocktails. Now before […]
Mint Devine
Mint is one of those flavours that has two parts, one being a slightly sweet flavour, the other being a “;cooling sensation” when you drink a cocktail made with mint. For me, the flavour is good, but the cooling effect is what makes mint based drinks special, like the Mint Julep and the Mojito. On a hot summer day this […]
Painkiller Cocktail
With all the rum reviewing going on, I decided it was time to stop and take a cocktail break. I’m still on this rum kick so a cocktail made with a good rum might hit the spot. Since my last rum review was on Pusser’s Navy Rum, the obvious cocktail choice was a Painkiller. The Painkiller is one of those […]
Alberta Premium Rye Whisky Review
Alberta Premium Canadian whisky is an enigma. It’s an affordable, run of the mill, 5-year-old whisky made from 100% rye grain. But it is also highly regarded and even considered to be the best Canadian whiskies, according to Jim Murray. What we do know is that Alberta Premium is a 100% rye whisky made in Canada that is readily available. […]
Red Bull and Vodka
In the cocktail world, there are lots of trends. Right now the classic cocktail seems to be on the rise and the martini craze is slowly slipping into obscurity, thankfully. I hate when people come to the bar and ask: “What kind of martini’s do you have?” I have two, gin or vodka. Usually, I’ll guide people away from the […]
Martinez Cocktail
Since I acquired a bottle or Luxardo Maraschino, in New Orleans, I’ve been on a mission to make some of the key classic cocktails that I’ve been missing out on. This is partly to see what the classics tasted like and also to fill out my resume as a knowledgeable bartender. I like to think of bartenders as “liquid chefs”, […]
Tuaca Liqueur
What is Tuaca? The word on the street is that it is a super premium, brandy-based, Italian liqueur. Now, anytime I hear or read the words “super premium” I become a bit skeptical. What is super premium anyway? Premium should be enough of a description, but I digress. Tuaca is a fruit, citrus and spiced brandy which is probably meant […]
Jack and Coke Recipe
Learning from the century-old Rum & Coke recipe, making the best Jack & Coke is easy if you follow a few simple steps.
Salty Dog Cocktail
Grapefruit juice is a relatively common ingredient in cocktails, with the perennial favourite being the Greyhound, but the Paloma is better. Unlike a Screwdriver, the Greyhound isn’t nearly as sweet and even has a pleasant bitterness that is imparted by the grapefruit juice. There are people who do not enjoy the bitterness of grapefruit juice, so those people tend to […]