The Booze Blog

Samuel Grant Bourbon Quick Review

2011-11-26T17:00:00.001-08:00

I think it was the words "Vintage Cask" that got me. No -- it was the $9.99 sale price that got me. No, wait, it was the fact that I was shopping for Thanksgiving and the in-laws were coming with some experimental hors d'ouvres that sealed the deal. Samuel Grant Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a house brand sold at Safeway/Vons in the vein of their bottom-shelf rum, vodka and tequila. But I thought, hey, for $10, how bad could a 'vintage cask' bourbon be? Answer: not bad at all.

The bottle is not unlike the Evan Williams bottle, which this bourbon outshines. It's a young-tasting astringent bourbon for its elderly title, but calms down to a citrus beginning and a cream soda finish given a little air. It makes a good old-fashioned, I'll give it that. And it got me through Thanksgiving, for which I am eternally grateful. Summary: better than Evan Williams black, not as good as Old Grand-Dad 90. Great deal if you find yourself shopping at Safeway/Vons and see it on sale.

Samuel Grant Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Safeway/Vons house)
No website
80 proof
Typical price: $11.99/750ml
Our rating: 7/10

Surprise! Trader Joe's Oaxacan Mezcal!

2011-11-23T15:44:00.001-08:00

This was a surprise! Not that Trader Joe's makes announcements of new products that I'm aware of, but to have this bottle suddenly appear on the shelf I know so well was a shock. Way more so than the recently added Premium Silver Tequila. I swear I didn't even break stride as I popped the bottle in my basket and kept going.

Back story: while I know that they are now plentiful and some are highly regarded, the only mezcal I've honestly ever had was the dreaded Gusano Rojo. This was on an experimental night back in college that I can't believe I actually remember, which began with other substances and ended with the rotgut mezcal and me trying to chew my half of the worm…. bed spinning... ugh, let's not talk about that any more.

Let's just say that this spirit is a far cry from that diesel fuel. Trader Joe's Authentic Oaxacan Mezcal is the golden color of a pale ale contained in a rustic square bottle that calls to mind some of the more interesting handmade tequila bottles. The nose is sweet and similar to a late reposado or early anejo tequila, not oaky, just rich. The flavor is burnt sugar, some smoke and caramel, sweet but with fire. A little wild floral aspect like sotol but without the perfume. For some reason I get a bit of a rush from it, more so than the average tequila.

No NOM or distillery info (yet). That's not a requirement for mezcal as it is for tequila. However, it is 100% agave and 80 proof.

Sweet, smoky and a little wild. I think I like it. For $17.99, I definitely like it. Grab it if you can.

Trader Joe's Authentic Oaxacan Mezcal

website: http://www.traderjoes.com (no info on item)

distillery: ?

price: $17.99/750ml

our rating: 8.5/10

Tequila Herencia Blanco Review

2011-10-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

It wasn't that I didn't have any intention of buying it... though I didn't. We were there for whiskey. But my companion was looking at the bottle so longingly, so lustfully, that I felt it would be even more obscene not to bring it home so we could have our way with it. I can't remember for sure but I think this might have been on the way back from Moylan's and their tasty beers. It was just around the corner, after all.

And though it was the middle of a busy afternoon we simply had to crack the heavy bottle's seal, remove the cork and appreciate the scent and flavor of freshly opened tequila while the moment presented itself. Our first impression was that it was good, but we weren't over-impressed. Granted, we were rushed but it wasn't very remarkable on the fist try. We came back to it later when we had a chance to relax and sip, and sip some more.

Tequila Herencia Blanco is made at Disteleria la Fortuna in rustic copper stills. Its nose and initial flavor is short on vegetal and long on mineral, till you let it breathe a bit. This is the first tequila I can remember getting noticeably better as it breathes. After a few minutes in a white wine glass, it opens up to a light, sweet grassy nose. The initial entry goes from mineral to baked agave / cooked vegetable, followed by a long and warming mineral finish. Rustic but in a refined way. The bottle lasted maybe a week. I'm now curious to try the reposado and see how it improves with a little barrel aging.

Tequila Herencia Blanco
Nom 1079
Website: http://www.herenciamexicana.com.mx/
Average price: $30 US
Our rating: 7/10

A Visit to the Tadich Grill

2011-10-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

It was a warm Fall day in San Francisco as we walked our way through SOMA from early beers at 21st Amendment, searching for the famed Tadich Grill. Uncle Whiskey and I wanted to add a new twist to our annual cross-City pub crawl, and go from new cool to old school.

The Tadich Grill is one of the oldest running establishments on the west coast, serving San Francisco's businessmen since 1849. We found it just a stone's throw from the Pacific Stock Exchange in the heart of the Financial District, under a vintage neon sign. We passed through the nondescript door to find that it was standing room only on this sunny Friday lunch hour. The place was packed with informed tourists and busy suits all the way down the long bustling bar leading to the open kitchen in the rear. The entire staff was moving with quick precision, a squad of ghostly blurs in their white coats and black ties. One stonefaced gentleman caught our eye and I said 'just drinks please.' We got seated immediately at the front corner of the bar near the brass rail that divides the wooden barrier into liquid and solid lunches. We remarked that the elderly head waiter seemed to have been here since the bar began, as unchanged with time as the bar itself. His close-cropped white hair gave him the air of an ex-Marine and he moved quickly with the zen calm of long experience.

Our own redheaded and bespectacled bartender appeared shortly. As I often do when I'm somewhere for the first time, I asked what the bartender's specialty is. I figure that if it's a specialty of the bartender or the house then it is not only notable, but made with extra pride and attention. Her reply was that she pulls a great pint, and we laughed. But we came here for old school and so ordered Old Fashioneds to start. They were good but not remarkable, made with two kinds of bitters (one looked housemade), soda, lemon, sugar and Old Crow. We sipped and marveled at the history of the place, the artless walls in muted earth colors, contrasting the crisp white linens on the small tables on the far side of the enormous ancient wooden bar. And the impeccably dressed waitstaff, mixing and pouring with practiced precision.

I pressed again with a different tactic - "what do people usually order when they come here?" and this time the reply was that the Grill is pretty famous for its Manhattans. You know you didn't have to tell me twice, two Manhattans it was. Having seen this bar written up in cocktail magazines before, I wasn't surprised to see that they poured their Manhattans with Old Crow, one of the oldest bourbons around. Unfortunately I glanced away and didn't catch the type of sweet vermouth used. Upon sipping the sublime concoction, I asked her if she used a 2:1 ratio and got my reply from the ancient white-haired bartender as he floated past: "No it's got to be three to one, at least". Old school, all the way.

We didn't stay too much longer as we had other establishments to patronize and there was a line for our seats. But glowing with history and fairly well lubricated, we vowed to return as we left to hop the streetcar for lower Haight and further adventures, most of which we remember. Fondly.

D.C.

Trader Jose's Premium Silver Tequila Review

2011-10-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

Just happened to walk down the spirits aisle in our local Trader Joe's last week, and BOOM out of nowhere there appeared a before-unseen silver tequila. Why, it certainly wasn't there the last time I was in just days before. Yet here it was, right on the top shelf. Right in my face. Shiny, square-shouldered and clean, the bottle demanded to be noticed. And I noticed. And you know where this is going...

Had to buy it. Had to try it. Now it's gone, it didn't take long. I'll buy it again, I can't say when. But soon!

Trader Jose's Premium Silver Tequila is made by Premium de Jalisco who also makes the brands Tierra Noble, El Sagrado and Chamucos. Premium de Jalisco double-distills their tequilas in small stainless stills and uses their own natural yeast for fermentation. This particular bargain 100% agave silver has a slightly sweet marshmallow nose with hints of mineral and buttery oak. The flavor is lightly rustic, mainly mineral and baked agave with a bit of green grass. Very impressive for a $16.99 bottle. I didn't make a single margarita out of it as it was almost gone before I even got to review it! It's right in there with the best of the sub- $25 silvers, right between Espolon and El Jimador.

Don't know how long this one will be around, you know how Trader Joe's rolls -- things appear suddenly, and sometimes just as suddenly they disappear. But I'll be back for this one.

Trader Jose's Premium Silver Tequila
Nom 1558
Distiller's website: http://www.pjspirits.com/
Typical price: $16.99 US
Our rating: 7.5/10

Speyburn Bradan Orach Single Malt quick review

2011-08-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

Found this Scotch at Trader Joe's recently and thought I'd give it a whirl. I've been tempted many times to grab a bottle of the Speyburn 10 Year Old Single Malt, which appears to be the young* distillery's flagship, and which is often on sale at Safeway for around $20. Not bad for a single malt, and certainly not a bad deal by Safeway's odd sale price standards.**

The Speyburn Bradan Orach ("Golden Salmon") is not listed on the Speyburn website and has no age statement. I can only imagine that it's somewhat less than 10 years old, but is not lacking for its youth. This bright Highland whisky has a sweet green caramel apple nose, with orangey honey notes on the palate and a toasty oak finish that lingers. Not enitrely remarkable but certainly a tasty everyday type Scotch -- half a bottle could go by before you even notice. Whoops, there it went!

Speyburn Bradan Orach Single Malt Scotch Whisky

http://www.speyburn.com/

Typical price: $17US/750ml

Our rating 7/10

*by the standards of Speyside Scotch distilleries - est. 1897

** eg "Wait, wasn't this cheaper yesterday? How can you still say it's on sale?"

The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion (Book Review)

2011-07-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

Synopsis and Review

This charming little hardback is full of great recipes, disarming humor, and interesting historical tidbits. Its full title is "The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion: 151 Cocktails that will Freshen your Breath, Impress a Hot Date, Cure a Hangover, and More!" which I think counts as a synopsis right there. Essentially, it's a book of recipes organized by the concept of 'what are you trying to solve? Here's the drink for that!' (Kind of like 'there's an app for that' but predating the iPhone by a few years).

If you read Modern Drunkard or enjoyed the wit and history in Ian Lendler's classic Alcoholica Esoterica (or know someone who does), this is a great book for your bar, bookshelf or even stocking.

Sample topics: The Drink that will Impress... Your Lawyer (Bacardi Cocktail) / Your Grandmother (Sidecar) / Your Other Grandfather, the Pervert (Angel's Tit).

Sample humor, from the White Russian recipe: "Stir gently, like you're negotiating an arms treaty during the Cold War"

Includes a glossary of spirits, a full bar hardware guide and a lot of good recipes and hangover cures. It even has a section on what to drink if you're tired of certain drinks or want to try something new. Frankly, they had me at the Mad Men drinking game.

The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion
by Duane Swierczynski
Quirk Books, Philadelphia, 2003

Willett Pot Still Small Batch Bourbon Review

2011-06-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

For a year or more I've had my eye on this unlikely bottle on the Costco shelf. It's shaped like a pot still, which is itself very eye catching. Not to mention that being a 1.75L bottle, it's also the size of a small hookah. And though the deep copper spirit continuously sang to me through the curved glass and tempted me with what was likely to be very tasty small batch bourbon, I just couldn't bring myself to drop $59 on an unknown (to me) whiskey. That is, until we went on a little expedition to pick up a second bottle of the Kirkland small batch bourbon and saw... the asterisk. (dun dun DUNNNNN)

For those in the know, the little * next to a price at Costco means the item is soon to be discontinued, and you are likely looking at the last of the stock. And here I was, looking at an asterisk above the only two remaining bottles of Willett Pot Still small batch bourbon. So needless to say, I wasn't too surprised when the next thing I knew, the poor thing leapt into my arms and came home with me like a rescue dog.

Willett Pot Still Small Batch Bourbon is double distilled using a family recipe that includes a proprietary yeast strain. It is 94 proof and is as complex and amazing as it looks. The nose is leather and butterscotch, while the flavor is creme brulee, marzipan and toffee, with a hint of nutmeg. It's warm and round with that distinctive pot still character, and finishes long and smooth. As with any small batch bourbon, your mileage may vary between barrels -- this is bottle 100 of 114 from single barrel 103. (I love pedigreed spirits.)

Two practical notes from a bottle like this. One, where do you put it? It takes up about the space of four normal bottles! I say display it proudly on the counter where it becomes a conversation piece. Two... the large bottom and long neck means that pouring it is a bit like the 'yard of beer' experience, you need to be gentle in your tilt, and still a glass fills surprisingly fast and with an assertive glug glug.

For a higher proof bourbon it is amazingly smooth. I hope to make this bottle last as long as my last bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel (1995), the last most amazing bourbon I've had.

Willett Pot Still Small Batch Single Barrel Bourbon
Typical Price $35-45/750ml
Our rating 9.5/10

Thanks to Uncle Whiskey for contributing to this review!

Kirkland Premium Small Batch Bourbon Review

2011-06-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

I don't regularly buy there, but I always stroll through the spirits section at Costco. Partly to see what's new, and partly to fantasize about rolling a palette of Clase Azul out the door.*

Once in a while, there's something new and interesting, like when i first saw Tequila Don Pilar in an elegant stack. More often I'm just price checking. But when I recently saw the latest addition to the Kirkland brand of spirits I got rather excited: Kirkland Premium Small Batch Bourbon.

You may remember that I wasn't all that impressed with the Kirkland Anejo tequila, which was more bourbon-y than I think an anejo should be, but still a good deal for the price. And though I've never brought myself to buy the impressive bottle of Kirkland vodka -- it's just too much vodka and I don't really drink it any more -- I've heard it's quite good for the money. But I immediately had a hunch about the bourbon. It had the look of a bottle produced by someone who knows what bourbon is supposed to be. And I wasn't disappointed. Far from it -- I was pleasantly shocked that it was as good as it is!

Kirkland Premium Small Batch Bourbon is 103 proof, 7-year-old straight bourbon whiskey, distilled by Clear Spring Distilling in Cleremont Kentucky. It is a warm, full-bodied bourbon, very like Knob Creek in richness and mouthfeel. The nose has hints of caramel, vanilla, pencil shavings, while the flavor brings out more toffee and dried apricot. Long warm finish. It is, as I said, surprisingly good for the money -- $19.99 for a liter. We went back for a second bottle.

*I have seen a flatbed cart of Johnny Walker Red get wheeled out. I'm sure there was a good story there!

Kirkland Premium Small Batch Bourbon
no website
103 proof
Typical Price: $19.99/1L
Our rating: 8.5/10

Thanks to Uncle Whiskey for contributing to this review!

Tequila Don Pilar Blanco Review

2011-05-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

More than a year after his flagship añejo was released, Don Pilar has revealed his latest foray into the premium tequila market, Tequila Don Pilar Blanco. Like his añejo, the blanco comes from estate-grown agave, and is Kosher certified. To be fair, I'd have to ask my ex- why this might be important for tequila, though I doubt she'd know. On the other hand, the tequila is fermented to Baroque music like some Napa Valley sparkling wines I know, now that's more up her alley! But I digress...

Now, before I get into the tequila itself, I have to take a moment to acknowledge the branding, something that I don't normally do. But as a trained graphic designer myself, I have to say I was really taken by the beautiful bottle, classily rustic label, and understated packaging design of the Tequila Don Pilar brand. For a specific example, when I met with Don Pilar's son Juan Carlos Contreras to sip spirits and talk tequila,* he pointed out that for the blanco they had used a young (read: un-aged) photo of Don Pilar on the label, as opposed to the older picture on the añejo. This is the kind of attention to detail that you'll find from top to bottom with their tequila -- from the steam cleaning of the piñas to their double pot distilling process that retains only the heart of the distillation.

Ok, back to the nitty gritty... how is the stuff? As properly tasted in a white wine glass (yeah, that's right) the nose is mineral with toasted oak and sweet agave, while the entry adds a bit of pineapple and smoke. The finish is medium and somewhat bitter, but the overall impression is rustic and full-bodied, yet clean. A very nice sipping blanco tequila. Not to mention that the bottle is such a beautiful thing that this would make a great gift for the tequila aficionado, or make you the hep cat at a Cinco de Mayo fiesta for way less $ than it looks! Salud!

Tequila Don Pilar Blanco
Nom 1443
website: http://donpilar.com/
typical price: $35/750ml
our rating: 8/10

* there's a story that almost got us and the proprietor in trouble, buy me a beer & I'll tell it to you...

Tequila Don Pilar Anejo - Revisited!

2011-04-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with the son of tequila maker Don Pilar, Juan Carlos Contreras, who is a graphic designer handling the product design and media outreach portion of his family business. We were getting together to taste Don Pilar's newly released Tequila Blanco and he brought along a new bottle of the anejo, which he referred to as "batch two". After the first go around with their anejo, they decided to start using charred virgin white oak barrels for aging, which has made an enormous difference in the final quality of the tequila.

Now that I'm nearly through the bottle, I can testify that this is a different beast than my first encounter with Don Pilar anejo, which I categorized as 'trying too hard'. The latest and hopefully final incarnation of Don Pilar Anejo has a much more impressive nose and flavor profile. The nose is sweet pineapple and caramel, with a slight mineral character. The tequila itself is extra smooth with a sweet, medium finish, very satisfying. Not surprising that it has won a gold medal in the 2010 Spirits of Mexico competition. Well done!

Next week I'll be posting a review of the blanco, which has already won awards on its own!

Tequila Don Pilar Anejo
Nom 1443
website: http://donpilar.com/
typical price: $35/750ml
our rating: 8/10

Our Golden Rule

2011-04-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

I've said it over and over, followed it and forgotten to, but have never posted it publicly that I can recall....

Are you ready? It's so easy to forget, and so simple you won't believe we had to say it. You're welcome.

The Drinking Consultants' Golden Rule (tm)

"Always pee before you leave the pub"

El Jimador Anejo Quick Review

2011-04-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned how much I've come to love El Jimador Reposado, and I finally got a chance to try the anejo. It's a dark honey color from aging in new oak barrels for 12 months, with a tantalizing brown sugar and baked agave nose. It's exceptionally smooth, though the finish is a bit short. More brown sugar and just a hint of cooked agave and vanilla on the palate. Goes down almost too easily! Great deal for the price.

Tequila El Jimador Anejo
Nom 1119
website: http://www.eljimador.com/
Typical Price: $27US/750ml
Our rating: 7.5

DIY Tequila Reposado, Revisited

2011-04-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

One week in my 1L charred oak barrel gave my Zapopan Blanco a pale Budweiser yellow color. It's not noticeably mellower, but it does have a slightly more complex flavor profile. I was afraid that any longer in the barrel would just make it taste like wood and not like nicely oaked reposado. Still not as good as the out of the bottle Zapopan reposado.

At this point what I think would be a more fun use for a personal barrel would be to age some bourbon and then rest some beer in it for a few days. Hm. Would the beer go flat? if I refrigerated the barrel would the staves shrink and the barrel leak? Science can be fun ;)

Old Fitzgerald 1849 Straight Kentucky Bourbon

2011-04-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

I was milling about the bottles of bourbon at a nearby BevMo, looking for something new to try, when I heard the call. More of a whisper, actually: "Psst -- Down here." I looked down and fixed my eyes upon a squat little bottle with a confidently busy black label, which among other things said "I know what I'm about." On closer inspection, I was amazed to see that the bottle itself was identical to that of my shelf standard Rebel Yell, right down to the front detail and bottom indentation. The next thing I knew the little sucker had jumped right in my basket like a dog wanting to go for a ride!

Old Fitzgerald 1849 was its name, and its pedigree is pure bourbon history. The label claims 'quality since 1849' and the mashbill is reported to be the same wheated whiskey mashbill established by John Fitzgerald and Pappy Van Winkle. Old Fitz is now on the Heaven Hill roster, but the 90 proof 1849 isn't mentioned on the HH website (though you can find it on the New Zealand version for some reason!)

As it turns out, the similarity to Rebel Yell stops at the bottle. While Rebel Yell is a wheated bourbon similar to Maker's Mark, Old Fitz is more in the vein of Knob Creek, with a thick, rich mouthfeel and long finish. It's a corn-heavy recipe with just a "whisper of wheat," aged in white oak for 8 years and then charcoal filtered. The nose is mainly butterscotch and a bit of mint, though if you give it some air it turns vanilla-caramel. The rich flavor is pepper-vanilla-butterscotch with a long warming finish that is very satisfying on a chilly day.

For $15.99 it's a bargain, though I think for an extra dollar I might go back to Fighting Cock (another Heaven Hill bottle), which is a little more my style. But if you like a good solid sipping boubon this is definitely worth a try, I enjoyed it very much with a single ice cube to mellow out that extra 10 proof.

Old Fitzgerald 1849 Straight Kentucky Bourbon
Heaven Hill, Old Fitzgerald Distillery
90 Proof
Typical Price: $16/750ml
our rating: 7.5/10

Tequila Zapopan Blanco - quick review

2011-03-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

Now 100% agave like its reposado big brother*, Zapopan Blanco is surprisingly smooth for an inexpensive silver. It has the mineral, grassy, rustic quality I like so much in El Jimador and similar tequilas. But $9.99 for a bottle of this goodness? I can't get over it!

Since the price made this such a low risk, I have used the bulk of this bottle in my personal oak barrel to see how it ages. I'll be posting more about it in a week's time.

Tequila Zapopan Blanco
no website
Nom 1472 - Fabrica de Tequilas Finos (same as Tonala and Tenoch)
typical price $9.99/750ml ($9.99/1L at Trader Joe's)
our rating 7/10

* This is a recent development, and some bottles on the shelf are still the older mixto reposado. The 100% agave versions say so right on the front label.

"What are your favorite tequilas?"

2011-01-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! Let's take a moment to answer this tasty question we just got from reader Robert:

"What are your current all-time favorite 'top shelf' tequilas as well as your favorite 'bargain' tequilas?"

Great question! I'm going to limit to five each, and only the ones I remember well enough to have taken notes on at some point! Some are simply lost in the fog...

Our current all-time favorite top shelf tequilas: El Tesoro de Don Felipe reposado, Clase Azul reposado, 7 Leguas reposado, Tequila Ocho 2009 blanco, and El Gran Jubileo anejo. Close runners up are El Tesoro de Don Felipe blanco, Jose Cuervo La Reserva Platino, and Tres Agaves blanco. Yes we do tend to favor reposados because they retain some of the fresh agave notes without being too sharp, or without being oversmoothed or overoaked by extra barrel aging. We especially love it when a blanco is as smooth as a reposado like the El Tesoro and Tres Agaves. El Gran Jubileo anejo is an exception as its extra aging (5 years) takes it to a new level altogether!

Our current all-time favorite bargain tequilas and their local price: the newly resurrected Espolón blanco ($20), El Jimador reposado ($18), Azul reposado by Centenario ($20), Zapopan reposado -- now that it's 100% agave ($10/L at Trader Joe's, what!), and for margaritas I feel you just can't beat Senorita gold ($20/1.75L). That one's not a sipper but it makes a great 'house' margarita.

Thanks for your question Robert! Now I'm thirsty & wondering, is 10am too early for some tequila?

What are your favorites?

Pikesville Supreme Straight Rye Whiskey

2010-12-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

I'd seen Pikesville Rye on the shelf, but despite the nice price ($12.99) had given it an indefinite pass based on its nondescript label and the fact that I rarely buy rye over bourbon unless I have a reason to (such as the arrival of the remarkable Rittenhouse on the west coast).

And then I read about it in Malt Advocate, in an article about 10 great unknown American whiskeys, and my interest was piqued. As luck would have it, the moment I went looking for it, it disappeared from local shelves -- 'discontinued,' said my local BevMo staff -- and I had to go on the hunt to find it before it vanished altogether!

The Malt Advocate article did mention that it was rarely seen outside of Maryland, where the style and recipe originate, even though it's distilled in Kentucky. It's on the Heaven Hill roster along with Rittenhouse but perhaps it was underperforming in favor of the everpresent Overholt and the dark horse rye from Jim Beam that you can even get at Safeway of all places. Speaking of Maryland, you may remember Pikesville's near-co-starring role in HBO's The Wire, Season Two (the one with the dockworkers), where it's the after-work shot of choice for the Ball'mer working class. And the occasional duck.

Pikesville Supreme Straight Rye Whiskey is a classic old-school rye, with slight fruit in the nose (apricot?), a hint of mint, and though it's sharp at the start it becomes somewhat creamy smooth before the spicy finish. It is not a sipper, but a good shooter with a beer back, and a nice mixer for your Old Man recpies that call for whiskey with a kick. Makes a tasty Sazerac, for instance.

If you can find it, try it!

Pikesville Supreme Rye Whiskey
website: http://heaven-hill.com
typical price: $12.99/750ml
our rating: 6.5/10

Camarena Tequila

2010-12-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

It was on a billboard just outside of Sacramento this summer: Camarena Tequila. I made a mental note. Like on a movie screen, many things look more interesting when they're 20 feet tall. And I had plenty of time to contemplate the curves of that big, beautiful, clean, shiny, new wood-stoppered tequila bottle while stuck in back-from-Tahoe traffic. "Camarena," the wind whispered lustily in my ear. Did I mention it was a long drive?

Camarena tequila showed up on local shelves not long after that, and went on sale at a surprising price. Aggressive marketing, I thought. I was even more intrigued, though now more about the marketing than the tequila itself.

The money behind the marketing turns out to be a partnership between Tequila Supremo and E. & J. Gallo, best known for bringing cheap wine to the masses in massive jugs. Camarena is the family name of the distillers of El Tesoro de Don Felipe, the first top shelf tequila I ever tried and possibly my all-time favorite tequila. Needless to say, Camarena is unlike El Tesoro in very much the way Dan Quale is unlike John F. Kennedy.

Camarena Silver

The silver is bright, slightly spicy, with a hint of smoke from the roasted agaves. Surprisingly smooth for the money, but ultimately not that interesting.

Camarena Reposado

The reposado, rested 60 days in American oak, is much the same but with additional sweetness, smoothness and a touch of smoke. The cooked agave stands out quite a bit here. Rustic overtones and a bit of a spicy finish that lingers briefly and ultimately falls a little flat.

Of the two, the reposado disappeared much more quickly.

Neither tequila is high on my list of under-$25 100% agave tequilas, which has been a growing list for the last few years. But when it goes on sale for $15.99 at Safeway, or $13.99 at Rite-Aid, it's hard to resist. And the Reposado is easily worth that price. For a few dollars more I'll still take El Jimador, Azul, Cabrito, and Lunazul ahead of it, but for the uninitiated this is an easy entry point to 'anything but Cuervo'.

Camarena Tequila
website: http://www.tequilacamarena.com/

Camarena Tequila Silver
typical price $15.99
our rating 6/10

Camarena Tequila Reposado
typical price $15.99
our rating 6.5/10

Old Crow Reserve Bourbon

2010-10-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

This was a fun find. I had just happened to pop in on a whim to a local market near work after a walk to the post office, hopefully to pick up a bottle of some Manhattan bourbon like Old Crow since they always have the liter bottles. Now, I hadn't been in this particular market in a while, as the last time I was in, the proprietor made me feel a little guilty for not buying anything. I had just wanted to see what was what, since they have these little in-store liquor specials from time to time. Beats working, anyway!

So as I said, I popped in to see if they had any Old Crow or some similar deal and instead of the familiar white-labeled bottles, there was a single remaining black-labeled bottle of Old Crow Reserve, which I've never heard of, and not seen before or since. 86 proof like my dear Old Grand-Dad, and aged an extra year in oak (i.e. 4 years instead of the usual 3).

Let me say that, venerable though the brand is, Old Crow is not special bourbon. It is not sipping bourbon. It is old school bourbon that is a measurable cut above well bourbon and that's about it. I say that respectfully as a guy who has gone through more than a couple large bottles of the stuff. Old Crow Reserve, on the other hand, is what Old Crow maybe should have been all along, and judging by the spiffy website, may be its new flagship version. It's got a wonderful vanilla-caramel nose with a tantalizing hint of charred oak, though sadly unmatched by its slightly sharp and short nutty finish. I wouldn't pick it over my standards Old Grand-Dad for classic bourbon fury or Rebel Yell for smooth drinkability but it's a cut above regular Old Crow and makes a tasty Manhattan for cheap. So there.

Old Crow Reserve Bourbon

Website: http://www.oldcrowreserve.com

Typical Price: $12.99/750ml

Our rating: 6.5

Review: Tequila Espolón Reposado

2010-09-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

The new Tequila Espolon

Espolón was a tequila brand that caught the swell of the first wave of premium tequila but didn't quite manage to ride the wave to shore. It was one of my early personal favorites and with a price range of around $40-50, Espolón fit in very nicely with better known brands like El Tesoro and Grand Centenario. Then, without warning, it suddenly disappeared from the shelves a couple of years ago. I got different stories from different people - one said a corked batch of Espolón ruined their market presence, another said it was infighting at the distillery. Whatever happened, it has suddenly resurfaced with a new bottle, a new look, and a very aggresive price. I'm all for it.

No longer sporting the handmade foil label boutique look, Espolón now has a very unique Raza-art-inspired mural of a label that calls to mind the Day of the Dead celebration. But don't be fooled, the tequila inside is still top-shelf.

The original bottle

Espolón is produced at the San Nicolas distillery in the Los Altos region of Jalisco under the supervision of master distiller Cirilo Oropeza. The 100% blue agave Reposado is aged 6 months in American Oak. In its previous life the Reposado took a gold medal in the 2006 SF Spirits competition, and no wonder.

The spirit itself is a smooth and beautiful marriage of oak and agave, with just enough heat to remind you that you're drinking tequila. A slight whiff of pine in the nose, coupled with sweet vanilla butter and slightly astringent peppery finish. The finish is long and surprisingly rich. This tequila is a remarkable value for ~$25 and we are glad to see it back on the shelf.

Tequila Espolón Reposado
imported by Skyy Spirits
website: http://www.tequilaespolon.com
typical price: $25/750ML
our rating: 7.5/10

Cocktail Friday! Today's Recipe: Obituary

2010-08-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

Man there have been such a slew of R.I.P. notices in the music community lately that this cocktail title seems appropriate. Not to mention the trendy resurgence of absinthe, for which you can still substitute Pernod in a pinch. It's essentially an anise-infused martini, but it will certainly take the edge off your week. Cheers!

Obituary

2oz gin
1/4 oz dry vermouth
1/4 oz absinthe

Combine with cracked ice and stir well. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Review: Old Man Drinks

2010-08-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

Old Man Drinks is a cute compendium of standard recipes and what passes for bar wisdom after a few pints at the local. The recipes in this pocket-sized hardback are solid, and of the non frou-frou type that your father and grandfather drank back when men were men and women were home burning dinner while the men were running up their bar tabs.

Each recipe has a short but well-written description that places it in a historical context, and each facing page has a picture of the type of old man that opens and closes the corner watering hole, along with a quote that generally only seems wise if you're as half in the bag as the speaker.

Taken together, you either get a taste of what it's like to hang out with an old man at a bar, or, if you already are one, you probably recognize one of your buddies in the book. Maybe you're in the book! The folks are real folks, and the quotes are real quotes. I imagine a lot of slurred "ain't that the truth" mumbled in response to the speakers.

As far as the drink recipes go, I find them simple and straightforward, just the way I like them. The descriptions are interesting, but the 'wisdom' I could frankly do without, unless I were practicing for when I retire and become one of these fellas. Funny thing is, I imagine that by the time you're that age, you just have the one drink that you stick with. So better figure out now which one that is.

Example recipes: Gin Rickey, Harvey Wallbanger, Rusty Nail

Sample Page (106):

Tennis anyone? What the Mint Julep is to the Kentucky Derby, this drink is to the annual championships held at the All-England Tennis Club, otherwise known as Wimbledon. Created in 1840 by London Bartender James Pimm, Pimm's Cup has been a warm-weather favorite for Britons ever since. The proprietary gin-based spirit isn't widely available outside the United Kingdom, and the secret recipe is said to be known by only six people at any one time, but you should accept no substitutes. Pimm's No. 1 is said to have medicinal value. That's hardly surprising, since it tastes like cough syrup.

Pimm's Cup

2 oz Pimm's No. 1
5 to 7 oz ginger ale, lemon-lime soda, or club soda
Cucumber slice

Combine liquid ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a cucumber slice.

Old Man Drinks by Robert Schnakenberg
Publisher: Quirk Books, Philadelphia
Price: 14.95

special thanks to Tiffany Kelley for providing a review copy.

Cocktail Friday! Today's Drink: The Bronx Cocktail

2010-07-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! I just started reading a book that's right up my alley -- "Old Man Drinks" by Robert Schnakenberg and it's inspired me to try some old standards I haven't tried before. So we're kicking off Cocktail Friday with a somewhat forgotten classic, the Bronx Cocktail. It's a slightly more sophisticated take on gin & juice and if done with well-matched vermouth is a nice cool afternoon (or morning) treat.

I'll be reviewing the book in another post. In the meantime, enjoy the Bronx Cocktail! Cheers!

Bronx Cocktail

1 1/2 oz gin

1/2 oz dry vermouth

1/2 oz sweet vermouth

1 oz fresh orange juice (no pulp preferred)

orange slice for garnish

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with orange slice.

DIY Tequila Reposado!

2010-06-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

Reposado tequila is tequila aged in oak for 2-11 months. It's usually a nice balance between the bright, unaged (< 2 months) blanco tequila and the sometimes oversmooth, bourbon or cognac-like anejo (aged 1+ years). With little effort, you can make your own signature reposado at home with nothing more than a bottle of tequila and a minitature oak barrel! I had considered picking up my own personal aging barrel some time ago but was never convinced it was worth the purchase. But I've talked recently with a couple of tequila drinkers I know that have their own and decided that if nothing else, it would at least be be a fun experiment. So happy Father's Day to me!

I shopped for a decently priced barrel on the 'net and on ebay, and decided to go with an American oak barrel from oakbarrelsltd.com. Good prices, and the website left me confident that they knew what they were doing. I picked a 1L oak barrel with black bands. The barrel is "medium" toasted inside. It arrived within a few days, well-packed and with very clear instructions. So to age your own spirits:

Step one: rinse the barrel

The barrels are all handmade, and can have both sawdust and wood chips inside from the manufacturing and drilling, so they need to be thoroughly rinsed. Once I rinsed the barrel a few times, enough to be convinced that there were no more chips rattling around, I gently but firmly tapped the dampened spigot in the bunghole with a rubber mallet, and was on to

Step two: cure the barrel

The wood of the barrel needs to swell to prevent leaks. To do this you fill with warm water and let sit for 8hrs - 5 days depending on your barrel and the ambient temperature. I filled mine in the evening, put it in a shallow pan in the garage, and it was ready by the following morning (overall just a few drops lost). Easy-peasy.

Step three: empty and fill with spirit of choice

Drained the oaky water out and poured in a bottle of Milagro Silver. Milagro Silver is a spicy, fresh-tasting 100% agave tequila that I thought would be a good test of the barrel. I'm familiar enough with it and its reposado version that I felt I'd be able to judge the changes well. Plus it's not so expensive that if anything went south it would be a terrible loss.

Step four: wait, but not too long

OK you may know I'm not the most patient man, but I do what I can. I did take a tiny taste after only 4 days and was surprised to find it already taking on some oak notes. My thought was that I'd try it in a month and that it should be ready in two months. Ha. I'll let someone else work out the math of surface area differences comparing a 1L barrel to a 32 gallon barrel, but as it turns out that even 2 months would be a very long time for a first pass. Subsequent uses will take longer than this batch.

Step five: drain and rebottle

When Uncle Whisky came down for a visit 11 days into the experiment I was eager to share a taste and we were surprised to find that it was about as oaked as you would want a reposado to be without becoming over-oaked, so I drained the barrel into my just-emptied Gran Jubileo Reposado bottle and called it a day. The color of the once-clear tequila is now that of dirty straw, the nose vanilla spice and oak. It's not as smooth as a well-rested reposado but the flavor is very nice.

I rinsed the barrel again and let it dry. Next time I'll try some El Jimador silver. I'm wishing now that I had bought two and saved some shipping costs, could be aging some bourbon at the same time! Then age some tequila in the bourbon barrel. Oh, the possibilities!

Cheers!