Liquor Snob

Canadian Club Classic 12 Whisky Review

2009-11-07T19:53:54Z

Brand/Name: Canadian Club Classic 12 Blended Whisky
80 Proof (40% ABV)
Website: CanadianClubWhisky.com
Typical Price: Around $25
Available online at Internet Wines & Spirits

The Look: A squat and flat-shouldered bottle; the black and white accents on the label give it a classic look.

The Nose: Whiffs of caramel, honey, brown sugar - very reminiscent of a well-aged rum at first whiff. Doesn't jump out of the glass and bite you on the nose - has the reserved quality we associate with aging. There's fruit in there too, adding an interesting sour tang on the back end, but it doesn't overpower the sweet.

The Taste: Starts off sweet, with a burn like raw ginger. Gets a bit more bitter toward the finish, but not in a bad way...like the bitterness of the charred oak it was aged in. Some fruit to go along with the nose, finishes quickly, leaving a vanilla taste in the mouth.

The Verdict: We liked the Classic 12 just fine on the rocks, and a little water went a long way to smooth whatever edges were left on it. We were impressed with it in cocktails we usually make with bourbon as well...right on down to our standby drinks, the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan, where we thought it added a nice je ne sais quois. A must-try for folks who like the regular Canadian Club expression, and bourbon lovers who're looking to broaden their horizons without straying too far from what they like.

iShot Machine Goes iPhone App

2009-11-04T22:06:16Z

We have a little game we play with a certain set of long distance friends called Dial-A-Shot. Everyone is at a bar, though in separate cities. A phone call is made, and synchronized drink shooting is performed. Usually it's straight booze, but sometimes we like to mix it up. That's where the iShot Machine iPhone app looks like it'll come in handy.

Randomness plus drunkenness? It's like your cocktail recipe book humped a slot machine, and this is the baby they made. Also, if your bartender doesn't know how to make the drink that comes up, the recipe's right there, plain and simple. There are over 3000 shots on this bad boy, and you can download it for free. So what're you waiting for? Oh, some more features? Here you go:

FEATURES

Shake your iPhone for a random shot!

Add shot recipes to your favorites

Rate shot recipes you like or dislike

Use search to easily find a recipe

Search for shots by ingredients

Email shots to your friends

iShot Machine App at the Apple Store; more info at the iShot Machine Website.

Liquor Snob Monthly Roundup: October 2009

2009-11-03T01:46:46Z

Those of you who read the website with any regularity probably noticed that Liquor Snob refrained from any kind of Halloween shenanigans this year. We should probably come clean - we hate Halloween. Not covering it probably cost us some traffic, in terms of things like halloween cocktail searchers and whatnot, but guess what? We don't care.

As much as we like the integration of "slutty" into pretty much every costume, we don't want anything to do with a holiday that expects us to put on a costume that could interfere with our drinking or make us look like the guy pictured above (via Monster Land). So there.

That said, welcome to November, the home of Wild Turkey Day! Check out what we did end up writing about after the jump.

Bar Accessories

Beer

Booze Books

Book: Making Wild Wines and Meads

Cocktail Recipes

Gin

Beefeater 24 Gin Arrives for Review

Liquor

Mixers

Thatcher's Organic Elderflower Liqueur

Monthly Roundup

Liquor Snob Monthly Roundup: September 2009

Physical Challenges

Physical Challenge: Beer Run

Reviews

Vinturi White Wine Aerator Review

Vodka

Wine

Cocktail Recipe: Shanghai's Last Gentleman

2009-10-29T12:30:00Z

Our man DKF has been in his secret lab again, flogging the cocktails, and he's come up with one that really caught our attention. We love both Buffalo Trace bourbon and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur - they're fucking delicious. Check out what happens when you mix them up in one glass and add some cocktail-y stuff to the mix. We even think his name for it - Shanghai's Last Gentleman - is the bee's knees...at least he didn't call it Shanghai Surprise. Keep 'em coming, DKF.

Shanghai's Last Gentleman

This sultry bourbon-laced cocktail is a true 'East Meets West' concoction, mingling slow Southern hospitality with classic Asian flavors. Muddled oranges - the "Chinese Apple" - orange blossom honey, and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur meddle with Buffalo Trace Kentucky bourbon for a charmingly exotic cocktail.

2 oz. Buffalo Trace bourbon
1 1/4 oz. Domaine de Canton ginger cognac
1 tbsp. orange flower honey
3 drops, Fee's Old Fashioned Bitters
3 drops, Regan's Orange Bitters
1 slice of orange

1) Muddle orange, honey, and both bitters in a cocktail shaker.
2) Add bourbon, ginger liquer, and ice cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously.
3) Pour into an old fashioned glass. Enjoy the simple bliss of life that is a well-made cocktail.

Sorry for the lack of pictures due to a fritzy camera, but we decided to use a picture of fireworks. Because where were fireworks invented class? That's right...China.

Beefeater 24 Gin Arrives for Review

2009-10-29T02:50:00Z

Today was a good day at the Liquor Snob offices, as shown by the fact the FedEx guy showed up with a bottle of Beefeater 24 gin. We've heard many a good thing about this spirit, with its 24 hour marriage of gin and various exotic teas. It also boasts multiple citruses, licorice, and your standard juniper, but we're focused on the tea, something we've never had before. Seems to work well, at least according to these reviews we found. We'll add our tasting notes to the mix as soon as we can.

Akvinta Mediterranean Vodka Arrives for Review

2009-10-29T00:38:13Z

We got a pleasant surprise in the mail yesterday, in the form of a bottle of Akvinta Vodka, a brand we hadn't heard of before, but bills itself as the world's "first luxury Mediterranean vodka." The stuff is made of Italian wheat and Dalmatian water, and is triple-distilled and filtered through birch, marble, silver, gold, and platinum. According to the Akvinta website:

Akvinta has a light lemon citrus nose with a touch of sweetness, a light peppery mouth feel, and very smooth finish with no burn. It is luxurious and well- balanced when drunk on its own, in mixed drinks or simply served over ice; and it works wonderfully in all cocktails especially those with citrus and fruit ingredients.

Sounds good to us, and we'll get that review posted ASAP.

Vinturi White Wine Aerator Review

2009-10-27T00:41:04Z

We've been excited to try out the Vinturi Aerator, especially considering the fact we'd never given much thought to decanting white wine, or even letting it "breathe" as we might a red. Vinturi was kind enough to send us a model to review, and when we opened the box we were impressed with the heft of the vaguely cylindrical gizmo that greeted us, and pleasantly surprised to find a no-drip stand and cloth storage bag as well.

We peeked through the Aerator, unsure how much effect it would really have on our wine, but decided to take it at face value. We poured two glasses from the same unchilled bottle of the best Chardonnay we could get at the supermarket for $3.49, one directly from the bottle and the other through the Aerator.

It sloshed through the gadget with a satisfying glugging sound, and we were fascinated by the bubbles we saw in the chamber, and if nothing else we felt like we got our money's worth for the show alone. But would it fulfill its promises of a tastier glass of wine?

We took the two aforementioned glasses of wine, and we put them in front of our Senior Wine Intern, asking for a blind taste test of the contents of the glasses, to identify which had been aerated. After going through the tasting rigamarole, our intern correctly identified the aerated wine, saying the flavor and bouquet were subtly, but noticeably improved. Further tasting with other interns confirmed the positive review - this thing really works, especially on wine that starts out not-so-hot. The price tag may seem high, especially for those who don't drink much wine, but it strikes us as a great gift and an exciting addition to the gadget-hound's wine rack.

Vinturi White Wine Aerator; more info at the Vinturi website.

How To Make a McNuggetini

2009-10-23T15:35:00Z

A while back, we introduced you to the McNuggetini, an assplodingly horrible idea for a cocktail. "But wait," you're probably saying to yourself. "I remember this McNuggetini story, but I ignored it since it was not in video form!"

Fret not, dear readers, for we offer you the McNuggetini in full, Technicolor, motion picture glory! You'll thrill at the barbecue sauce-rimmed cocktail glass! You'll swoon as vanilla vodka and chocolate shakes are combined in a cocktail shaker! You'll gag as you watch the look on their faces as the ladies take that first nauseating sip! All we can say is they'd better deliver that ham daiquiri they promise at the end of the video...

via BuzzFeed

Wusthof 7 Piece Garnishing Kit

2009-10-21T12:04:31Z

Our enrollment in the Bar Smarts Wired course has gotten us thinking a lot more about the parts of a drink that we usually didn't pay much attention to. An example? The garnish. We historically thought of garnish as something to toss on the cocktail napkin so it doesn't get in the way of your drinking. But we're starting to see that the garnish can be the unsung hero of a drink, adding flavors and excitement to a cocktail, or at least a little zazz.

Our Bar Smarts kit came with a good channel knife, but of course, being the Snobs we are, we want more. We gravitated toward Wusthof, a brand we trust and have had good experiences with, which includes a channel knife, zester, double-edge peeler, butter curler, melon baller, and corer. We know it's pretty expensive, but hey, it comes in a sweet carrying case so you can feel like a real chef when you whip it out.

Wüsthof 7-Piece Garnishing Tool Kit

Thatcher's Organic Elderflower Liqueur

2009-10-20T17:45:03Z

It might surprise people to hear the Liquor Snobs have been a bit late to the elderflower liqueur party. St. Germain has been the belle of the ball for quite a while now, but we never got into it too much due to a sweetness that we found borderline overbearing. Yeah, we know it's meant to be used in small amounts, but hey - taste is taste.

That's why we're psyched our man on the street DKF has gotten a chance to sample Thatcher's Elderflower, an organic liqueur he says knocks the stuffing out of St. Germain. In fact, he says St. G is the tawdry, syrupy older sister of Thatcher's, and at half the price. We have to agree - our last bottle of St. Germain was almost $40, and BevMo has Thatcher's Elderflower for under $20, along with two more of their eight total flavors.

More info on availability and flavors at Thatcher's Organic.

Ho White Gets in Trouble

2009-10-19T23:01:42Z

It appears Jamieson brewery's clever ad campaign about dwarves is going to climb up and bite them on their collective Aussie asses, which we think is a shame. The image (above) is a pretty damned funny twist on the Snow White story, especially when paired with the "Anything but sweet" tagline, in reference to a raspberry beer. It's too bad Disney has decided they own the rights to a folk tale, which is friggin' retarded. Our fearless Editor in Chief's last name is Jamieson, but you don't see him suing over the brewery using his name, now do you? Of course, we've got fewer high-powered lawyers trying to justify their retainers too...

Daily Telegraph [via Kegworks blog]

Physical Challenge: Beer Run

2009-10-16T17:08:13Z

This dude gave himself the ultimate physical challenge by getting flailing-ass drunk and attempting to buy beer. Our favorite part was when he fell over the first time and couldn't get up, but refused to remove his hand from the 12 pack to extricate himself. Favorite moment too is when he juuuuust misses the handle on the exit door and hilarity ensues.

One of our interns claims the guy must have something else going on because no one can get that drunk. That intern obviously hasn't been working here long enough. (Thanks, Crotchbat)

Worst Shopping Run Ever - Watch more Funny Videos

Urban Moonshine Organic Bitters

2009-10-14T12:25:00Z

Our friends down at our favorite local bar, the Three Penny Taproom, have shown us they're about more than just great beer - they know their spirits too. That's why we were excited when they showed us a new line of bitters they'd found out about - Urban Moonshine. Located just north of us in Burlington, VT, Urban Moonshine is all about making organic bitters and tonics for digestive health and other benefits. We were especially into this one line from their website (bolding ours):

Now, whether you enjoy them as an apertif, digestif, or as a remedy to settle an upset stomach, calm a hangover or gently cleanse the liver, bitters are back!

That's right they're back - and these particular ones come in original, citrus, and maple. Check out Treehugger for a nice little write-up and a cocktail recipe to get you started.

We only have to drive a half hour to get them. You, however, can use the majesty of the Interwebs and buy them at the Urban Moonshine website.

Mini Angled Measuring Cups: Jigger What? Jigger Who?

2009-10-13T13:10:55Z

You'd be surprised how useful these little angled measuring cups are when you're making cocktails - your liquids are easier to see, for one thing. It's also nice to have a few lying around, which is why we got the three pack of plastic ones. These bad boys hold up to a quarter cup and are marked at 1/4, 1/2, 1, 1 1/2, and 2 ounces. They also come in Stainless Steel if you're going for the durability and jigger feel, but we like the visibility we get from the plastic. Just be sure to wash them quickly and thoroughly so they don't pick up any flavors, though we haven't had any problems with that.

Oxo Good Grips Mini Angled Measuring Cup 3-Pack

(Image via Design with Intent)

How to Tap a Keg and Pour a Perfect Beer

2009-10-13T11:45:00Z

For some of us, tapping a keg is second nature thanks to more keg purchases than we'd like to count. Not everyone has been practicing for so long, however, and there are certain situations where you can save the day by being the one who knows how to tap a keg without out overpumping it and causing it to puke beer foam for the next hour. This video will teach you how to tap the major keg types (American and European sankeys), and even give a little 101 on how to pour that perfect pint you've been searching for.

Beer Consumption By Country Bar Graph

2009-10-12T13:58:15Z

We're pretty impressed with this graph of beer consumption by country - especially the format of partially-filled pilsener glasses. The country list is by no means complete - a commenter points out there are some hard-drinking European countries absent from the list - but it does our hearts good to know that based solely on the beer bottles littering the area around the computer, we're well ahead of the US curve.

Check out the graph (in a format large enough to actually read) at Snippets.com.

(Thanks for the tip, Jerrry)

Vinturi White Wine Aerator

2009-10-12T01:52:13Z

We've been on a wine kick lately, and we recently got an email about a product that intrigues us quite a bit. A while back, we wrote about the Vinturi Wine Aerator for red wine, which we called "scuba gear for your wine." Little did we know you can also get an aerator for white wine - we're winos without being wine snobs, and we'd never really heard about people aerating whites. Anyone had luck with something like this?

Specially designed for white wine, the Vinturi Essential White Wine Aerator delivers a better bouquet, enhanced flavors and smoother finish to your favorite Chardonnay, Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc. When wine is poured in the Vinturi, its design creates an increase in the wine's velocity and a decrease in its pressure. This pressure difference draws in air, which is mixed with wine for perfect aeration.

The claim is the better aeration leads to better aroma, flavor, and even mouth feel. Who knew?

Vinturi White Wine Aerator; more info at the Vinturi website.

Mar-GO-Ritas: For the Drunk on the Move

2009-10-09T23:55:03Z

We've just caught wind of a new Margarita-aping juicebox that has an interesting twist. Instead of distilled spirits filling the booze portion of the proceedings, they're slightly lower-test so they can be served by restaurants without spirits licenses. In the words of the company:

The mar-GO-rita is made from a fermented version of the blue agave plant that classifies our product as wine instead of distilled spirits. The wine classification allows beer and wine retailers the opportunity to sell premium margaritas under their beer and wine license.

The pouch allows the consumer to place the product into a freezer and enjoy a frozen margarita without the hassles of mixing or blending. We use a screw top and provide the straws for a true "On-the-Go Experience". Simply freeze, squeeze and enjoy!

Mar-GO-ritas are available in California, South Florida, Louisiana, Virignia and Texas, and they've got some new flavors on the horizon as well (Pina-Go-lada and the Daiq-GO-ri. We're not kidding). An interesting concept and we like the idea of having a freezer full of boozed-up slushies, so we'll see where this goes...and how they taste. More info - and a store locator - at Big Easy Blends.

Book: Making Wild Wines and Meads

2009-10-06T03:03:08Z

For some reason, the staff here at Liquor Snob have had a wild hair this autumn to try our hands at making our own wine. We've done some brewing in the past (we're no Brew Dudes, but we can hold our own), but winemaking has always seemed daunting. There's the longer maturation period, for one thing, and while we'd guzzle pretty much anything beer-shaped, we've been worried that our natural laxity about things like "cleanliness" and "reading directions" would leave us holding whole mess of vinegar.

Nevertheless, we decided to start out with some country wine, made with fruit we've picked ourselves, and we've got the Fruit Wine Making Kit to prove it. Our only problem? A complete and total lack of knowhow about how to get started or even what to make. Which is where Making Wild Wines & Meads: 125 Unusual Recipes Using Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & More (Amazon) comes in. With more than 100 recipes, including mead for when we're feeling a bit renaissance faire, we're sure there's a wine in there we'll be able to make without embarrassing ourselves. Here's hoping, anyway.

Making Wild Wines and Meads

Liquor Snob Monthly Roundup: September 2009

2009-10-01T12:39:51Z

Ah, September, the month of Labor Day and the summer's death rattle. September started off rocky, but only got better, as we started our BarSmarts Wired course, tasted a whole mess of whisky with Johnnie Walker, and unleashed our rocket launchers on comic-themed cocktails.

The more we keep drinking, the more things are looking up!

(Image via pbaglino)

Beer

Happy Arthur's Day

Booze Books

The Flavor Bible

Cocktail Recipes

Calling All Geeks for Comic Book Cocktails

Drink Wear

WoW Brewfest T-Shirt

Drinking Advice

Johnnie Walker Art of Blending Webcast

Liquor

Liquor Snob, Back in Action

Liquor News

BarSmarts Wired: Professional Bartender Training Online

Lush Lifestyle

Monthly Roundup

Monthly Roundup: July & August 2009

Scotch

Calling All Geeks for Comic Book Cocktails

2009-10-01T01:59:35Z

So you know that urban legend about comic book geeks? The one that says they live in their parents' basements, and don't know how to interact with the really real world? As comics collectors ourselves, we've fought long and hard against that stereotype, but alas, we're afraid our brethren have shown their true colors.

After all, what else could possibly explain the comic book- and superhero-themed cocktails the fine folks from Comic Book Alliance dredged up from across the Web? These cocktails are hyper-stylized, more reliant on bright colors than real substance, and are more focused on a bad-ass punch than any kind of artistry. Either it's a subtle meta-commentary on the state of sequential entertainment, or these folks are really limited in what their parents have in their liquor cabinets.

Most of these recipes sort of made us throw up in our mouths a bit, then scratch our heads. Why does The Hulk's drink feature a spoonful of sugar ON TOP OF the unlimited Mountain Dew? Why are there pop rocks in the Spider-Man? Why would Superman want peach schnapps AND coconut rum? We're hoping these were created by people who never picked up a back issue, but if we were cynical, we'd say this is a misguided attempt to get chicks to like comics (Isn't Wonder Woman awesome? Have another one, then we'll go back to my place and dust my Sandman trades!).

Out of solidarity, however, we are including the recipe for the Iron Man Cocktail, because he's one bad ass drunk.

Iron Man Cocktail
• 3 oz. Vodka
• 7 oz. Whiskey
• 5 ice cubes
• Soda Water

Mix vodka and whiskey in an old-fashioned glass. Stir. Add a few ice cubes, fill with soda water and stir gently.

Oh, and try not to rust your power armor when you cry yourself to sleep. Check out the full list of Comic Cocktails at Comics Alliance.

(Thanks for the tip, Church)

Liveblog: Johnnie Walker Art of Blending Webinar

2009-09-29T19:05:29Z

We forced one of our interns to live blog the Johnnie Walker Webinar while we're tasting. We know he doesn't know a thing about Scotch, but...don't miss anything Vito. And now, we give our full attention to Andrew Ford, master distiller for Johnnie Walker.

3:06 - Finally get online - with sound no thanks to our stupid speakers. Come in late for Johnnie Walker's history.
3:07 - We've been good. When will this nice Scottish gentleman let us start drinking whisky?
3:09 - Alexander Walker invents the square bottle. Other stuff.
3:16 - Someone asks a question about the legality of blending in Scotland back in the day. Let's get to tasting.
3:17 - Lowland whisky, lighter. Smokey whiskies out in the north coast...e.g. Islay. Speyside is full of distilleries...which is where the first distillery the Walkers bought was. We check out the flavor map...very science-y.
3:18 - Did he say time to taste?
3:21 - Forgot to follow directions -- running into kitchen for water
3:22 - "The right way to drink whisky -- Any way you like it." We love this guy. But if you're tasting go half strength (1/2 water, 1/2 scotch)
3:23 - Yum. Grain whisky. Feeling like a mad scientist using a graduated cylinder to measure out booze. "Grain whisky is the unsung whisky of Johnnie Walker"
3:27 - More science.
3:29 - Lowland malt is still a light whisky, but far "scotchier" than the grain. Someone tries to guess which malt we're sipping...and nails it. Turns out this little bottle has 12 year old whisky or more.
3:32 - On to Speyside malt. Still light and fruity compared to the smokier guys higher up the scale. So basically a breakfast scotch.
3:34 - Cardhu Speyside representing in Johnnie Walker but not the biggest factor.
3:36 - Scottish guy talks about how he went into a cold Scottish moor to get sherry cask malt delivered to us in time for this presentation.
3:38 - Sherry cask malt is f'ing delicious.
3:40 - The size of the cask affects the taste of the liquor. Or in other words, it's the size of the wood AND what you do with it. Also, things tend to happen slower with Sherry than with Bourbon, which we knew.
3:42 - Nosing...do you keep your mouth open or closed? The answer - figure out what works best for you to really hit that scent button and figure them out.
3:43 - Highland Malt from the West coast. Tend to be a bit more robust than lowland/Speyside. Definitely getting peatier, with some sea tastes. w00t!
3:45 - Admits he has no idea how flavors of the sea get into it. We're guessing magic.
3:47 - You'll be happy to know that peat is not going to run out anytime soon.
3:48 - Welcome to Smoke Town, population Island Malt
3:49 - Pouring all the malts we're supposed to dumping out into a pint glass science experiment
3:51 - Islay malt. Holy smokes. Tastes like your pants smell after a campfire.
3:52 - Starting to get buzzed.
3:54 - Color of scotch has more to do with the cask it was aged in than anything else. Who knew?
3:58 - It's interesting to try Black Label after tasting all those whiskies. We've always gone for big, smokey whisky, but this has opened up a lot of doors for us.
3:59 - Time to make our own blends. Argument has begun among the interns whether we're going to use the beaker/mad scientist route, or just make "mouth mixes" directly from the bottle. We'll probably land somewhere in between.
4:01 - Question about Andrew's favorites for singles - Talisker is at the top. Hmm...he seems to like Diageo brands...good thing he works for them.
4:05 - Black label is a blend of ~40 whiskies (malts and grains).
4:06 - Off to blend. Thanks Andrew!

BarSmarts Wired: Professional Bartender Training Online

2009-09-25T15:43:22Z

We got an invite a while back to take a class called BarSmarts Wired, the online version of the BarSmarts Advanced seminars for professional bartenders. We've heard good things about the program, but after the summer we had, it had slipped our minds. It took a well-written (and positive) review from Colleen at About.com to jog our memories, and sign up for the online course.

Besides the knowledge, skills and theory that you get from BarSmarts Wired, you receive with your tuition a bag filled with professional bar tools. This bar set is a pretty nice one, not some cheap freebie, and includes a Boston shaker, jiggers, a bar spoon, strainers and a very nice zester. The set alone exceeds what you would pay $42 for and since that is the price of the course.
This is one of the few online bartender programs that is worth the time and effort. You will learn a lot and be able to bring that to your bar to improve customer service.

You've still got a few days to sign up at the BarSmarts Website, and don't forget to read Colleen's review to get some tips if you're planning to do it. And if you need some more convincing, check out Pernod Ricard's video demo about the program - just remember you have to sign up before the end of September if you're going to do it.

(Big ups to Colleen Graham and Samantha Harrigan for giving us info about the program)

Happy Arthur's Day

2009-09-24T20:05:19Z

You Guinness fans know what we're talking about. Hoist one for strength to celebrate the 250th birthday, friends. We know we will.

Johnnie Walker Art of Blending Webcast

2009-09-22T23:49:33Z

If you're anything like us, the word "webcast" makes you want to head for the hills. As cubicle- and office-dwellers for the last decade or so, we've been to our share of these things, and they're usually relatively dry affairs, and by "dry" we mean there's no booze. Not so the one we've been invited to next week - there will be, and that booze will be scotch. It will be scotch, in fact, that comes out of this box:

The affair in question, with the jaw-busting title of "Johnnie Walker Black Label Centenary Journeyman Blending Webcast with Master Blender Andrew Ford," is entirely about blending scotch, not sitting around drinking it. But guess what you do with scotch after it's blended? That's right! Fedex dropped off our blending kit today, and we're not usually ones for unboxing posts and booze porn (y'know, like food porn but with liquor) we just had to share what we got. More pics after the jump.

In the days of John and Alexander Walker, upon completing studies under a master craftsman, a skilled apprentice proudly carried the title of Journeyman. In honor of the 100th Anniversary of Johnnie Walker Black Label, the signature blend of the House of Walker, Master Blender Andrew Ford is making the journey from Scotland to the United States to mentor a new generation of Centenary Journeymen Blenders. In the pioneering spirit of Johnnie Walker Black Label, this unique opportunity to apprentice in the artisanal craft of blending fine whisky is being brought to you via a live Webcast.
Please note that materials necessary to participate in this hands-on whisky blending exercise will be mailed to you in advance of the Webcast including:

A variety of fine Scottish single malt and grain whiskies (sample quantities)

One nosing glass

One measuring device

One funnel

One empty bottle

For the record, the included bottles include a 200ml bottle of Black Label, and the "sample-sized" bottles are larger than the mini-bottles we expected, more like 100 or 150ml? Included are bottles of Grain, Lowland Malt, Speyside Malt, Sherry Cask Malt, Highland Malt, Island Malt, and Islay Malt. So, readers that's the contents - what do you think?

WoW Brewfest T-Shirt

2009-09-21T13:32:07Z

We dabble in dorkiness here at Liquor Snob, but we've never really played World of Warcraft. Hence, we've never heard of Brewfest, but we get the notion it's an Azerothian version of Oktoberfest. Still, a chance for the Horde and Alliance to put aside their differences and put down some brews? We're behind it 100%. However, that doesn't mean we understand a single word of what's being said here:

While you're stumbling from keg to keg, be sure to try your hand at ram racing, and keep an eye out for that dastardly Direbrew and his Dark Iron dweebs, who'd like nothing better than to blunt your bender. And remember: the pink elekks are not real, not matter what the pandaren tells you.

Available at Jinx [via The Awesomer]

When Someone Else is Drinking on Your Tab

2009-09-17T12:20:49Z

Yesterday, we posted about the Who's Buying? iPhone application, dedicated to helping you and your friends decide who should pick up a tab at the end of the night. This morning, we noticed an excellent post from Jeffrey Morgenthaler about what to do if you start a tab, and the bartender lets someone else charge drinks to it (in this case, the bartender was actually charging her friends' drinks to the person's tab, hoping they wouldn't notice).

He makes some excellent points, gives some great advice, and even writes a letter to the bartender in question (or more to the point, to the management of that particular bar). His open letter is included below, but definitely check out the full post for his advice and some excellent comments from his readers.

Dear Bartender I've Never Met:
Hey, dumbshit. Some of us are trying to make a career out of this. And you're fucking it up for the rest of us who actually take our jobs seriously. Did you really think it was okay to just throw a bunch of shit on my friend Kat's tab without checking with her first? Do you think that anyone else, in any other business in the world, would let that kind of shit slide?

Here's what advice I'm giving Kat: First, I've suggested that she never, ever set foot in your bar again. You're reckless, unsafe, and a disgrace to the profession. However, if she decides not to heed my advice and does happen to pop in for a drink, I'm recommending that she pays for each drink, with cash, each time. And when she does, I want you to know that she's only doing it because she doesn't trust you.

Good luck to both of you. My readers and I all know you're going to need it.

Who's Buying? iPhone App

2009-09-16T12:33:51Z

Do you have one of those groups of friends where everyone fights over who gets to pick up the bar tab, out of the kindness of their hearts? We don't either. And neither, apparently, do the folks at Jet Set Games, because they've developed an iPhone app dedicated to helping you figure out who's going to foot the bill, without resorting to feats of strength or name calling.

There are three modes to help you make your decision, games of skill, luck, and/or fate. Because, in the words of the bard, "Peace sells, but who's buying?"

The Wheel:
Reflexes floundering after a few too many? Sit back and let The Wheel decide your fate. Place your marks and watch as the monkey and his martini shaker decide Who's Buying...and who still has his clams.
Multiball:
Up to four players can jump in this Polynesian-themed game of ping-pong. The first to let a flaming ball in their goal will find their totem in the woodchipper and their wallet empty.

Bounce Back:
Take control of a tiki and blow your coconut into your opponent's goal in this Hawaiian-style air hockey game. Who's Buying? Well, that would be the first person to swallow.

Available at the iPhone App Store; more info on Jet Set's Who's Buying page.

The Flavor Bible

2009-09-15T12:33:39Z

A couple years ago we were really impressed with a book called What to Drink With What You Eat, a tome dedicated to helping you pair your food with the right drink, and your drinks with the right food. Well, when we say "impressed" we mean by the concept, because we didn't actually pick up the book until a couple weeks ago, but we've been fascinated since then. When we ordered that one another book was recommended to us called "The Flavor Bible," (Amazon) and we wanted to share with our readers about that one as well.

Not a cookbook or recipe book per se, this book is dedicated to simply telling you what flavors go well together. A very simple concept well executed, the book is formatted to let you know which flavors complement one another (the no-brainer apple/cinnamon home run) and which shouldn't be on the same plate or in the same glass (you can shelve your plans for an oyster and tarragon cocktail).

In the short time we've had it this book has helped our cooking immensely, as well as helping us be a bit more adventuresome with our mixology. Now we can check to see what kinds of flavors go well together, and use that as a springboard for creating more interesting, exciting cocktails. Both books are highly recommended for cooking and cocktail creation.

What to Drink with What You Eat (Amazon)

The Flavor Bible (Amazon)

(Thanks for the tip, DKF)

Liquor Snob, Back in Action

2009-09-15T01:33:42Z

Dear Liquor Snob readers,

Jake here, Editor in Chief of Liquor Snob, and I wanted to take some time to write a quick note. We've gotten some mail lately wondering where the hell we've been, and I wanted to let you know not to give up on us. We were MIA for most of August and the beginning of September, but we don't want you to worry that we've given up on the site or lost interest in boozing. This month is my five year anniversary of running Liquor Snob, and it's been a bittersweet time for me as I haven't been able to focus on the site as much as I'd like.

I lost my brother in early September after a long illness, and while the last few months have certainly driven me to drink, it made it tough to focus on the site and give it the love and attention it deserves. But we haven't lost our focus or our drive, and I wanted to write to tell our readers not to give up on us, let the the liquor companies know we we haven't run away with their review bottles, and ask our fans to keep submitting their questions, comments, and tips.

Thanks to everyone who's been supporting me over the last few months, and I look forward to helming Liquor Snob into its next five years and beyond.

Jake from Liquor Snob