We’re mixing some coffee-like liqueurs with amaretto and vodka, which makes a great dessert shooter. It reminds us of a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. We’re gonna get an Alley Shooter, a pretty tastey little cocktail filled with awesome.

For those that want to follow along with our cocktail recipe, airing on November 20th, you can head out to buy your bottle with included spiced packet now. If your retail store isn’t carrying the bottles with the spice packet perhaps we can help. I’ve got around twenty spice packets I can give away to anyone who needs them to complete the 10 Cane Spiced Apple Punch recipe and cannot find them.

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving this is a must-try recipe for the season. You can build the recipe hot or cold, depending on your preferences. We’re going to create the cold version of the cocktail for the show on the 20th but we’d love to hear back from those that create the hot recipe.

Here are the two very simple recipes (also included with spice packet):

10 Cane Spiced Apple Punch (cold)
51 oz. Apple Juice
750ml Bottle of 10 Cane Rum
10 Cane Spice Packet
12 Cinnamon Sticks

Remove wrapper from spice packet. In a large container, place the spice packet (like a teabag) and one 51 ounce bottle of apple juice. Chill in refrigerator for at least one our and then squeeze the remaining liquid from the spice packet and remove it from the juice. Pour entire 750ml bottle of 10 Cane Rum into the spiced apple juice and stir.

To serve, shake 6 oz. of the spiced apple punch in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Or, simplier, pour over ice into a tall Collins glass. In both cases, garnish with a cinnamon stick and serve. Serves twelve cocktails.

10 Cane Spiced Apple Punch (hot)
51 oz. Apple Juice
750ml Bottle of 10 Cane Rum
10 Cane Spice Packet
12 Cinnamon Sticks

Remove wrapper from spice packet. Heat 51 oz. of apple juice to just below boiling then add the spice packet and steep for 3 to 5 minutes (or desired strength). Squeeze the liquid from the spiced packet and remove. Add 750ml bottle of 10 Cane Rum to the mix and stir.

Serve the 10 Cane Hot Spiced Apple Punch in your favorite mug and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Serves twelve cocktails.

Remember, we’ll be launching the 10 Cane sponsored episode on November 20th, just in time for you to prepare your recipes for the following Thanksgiving day festivities. However, you can enjoy this recipe all season long and well into the winter with the warmer cocktail variant. If you find you need a spice packet, we’ve got some to give away so contact us (while supplies last).

Tropical drinks, slightly sweet cocktails, are pretty and enjoyable on the face. The Tropical Ivan falls directly in the category of fun for your face with a bit of tequila, bitters and triple sec. It’s not too often we’ve done a drink with fruit punch before, especially with tequila!

We’re using the Tres Generaciones this week to produce our Tropical Ivan cocktail.

The ocean-tini, a cocktail birthed from classic style design. It shows off a well round set of flavors while maintaining a very pretty look and feel. If there is a cocktail that can sit well along side the original martini’s and three-ingredient key recipes, the Ocean-Tini is the one.

Żubrówka

Bison Grass was believed to grant great powers and youthful virility centuries ago. Today, we’re celebrating a vodka that has a cool light green color, unique scents and a flavor profile that stands apart from those around it. Exactly how does it taste? Well, it wouldn’t be a valuable review if I read what the bottle says! Time to pour a glass, neat, and see what Bak’s Bison Grass vodka is all about.

The aroma of this bison grass vodka is very mild and “pretty,” a term I think best describes this vodka. There is an underlying structure of ethanol so you will understand the base ingredient is that of vodka but maintains a lightly green and vegital profile. I don’t get the scents of “grass” but a lightly green aroma that is extremely pleasing on the nose.

The initial taste attacks my tongue much like the scent, a lightly mild attack with no harsh bite or abrasive flavors.  The finish lasts for a few minutes and brings a slight hint of classic vodka-alcohol with a pronounced bitter-citrus. The finish does bring a bit of bright numbing fire, as most vodka’s will do, but when it subsides you’re left with a clean aroma and lingering citrus.

This vodka brings such a new experience to vodka tasting without being a sickly sweet infusion or faked flavorings. The aroma is gentle and polished and brings the heritage of quality vodka along for the ride. If I had to name a sipping vodka that can be enjoyed by itself with or without ice it would be Bak’s Bison Grass Vodka. Bak’s does not try to distill out the flavorings down to the raw core ethanol, they try to bring a bit more aroma and taste to this core spirit.

You can currently find Bak’s Bison Grass Vodka at retailers in California, Illinois, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Washington DC for around USD $28.99 per 1-Liter bottle. Happy hunting!

This is a overflow from our holiday week but it fits any time of the year as it’s a great potent little number known as the Axe Murderer. This cocktail has nice sweet flavors reflecting that of a tropical/tiki cocktail (with less rum) with a potent finish that reminds you that this cocktail has a lot of unique alcohols.

As with other intense drinks of this nature, the alcohols all play well together without giving any offending taste profiles. It will creep up on you… like an AXE MURDERER!

The final Halloween cocktail of the season, our “Sunday Night Shooters” episode released one day early, making the Halloween night festivities possible. The Ghostbuster shooter is a cute little shot design with wonderful taste and a great yet simple presentation.

The fourth halloween cocktail for 2009, this is the second-to-last cocktail to ring in the spooky Halloween season until next year. The Maggots Cocktail is a slightly silly take on a cocktail and, regardless to making the cocktail look like maggots, you’ll get a nice coffee-esque taste with hints of peach, that’s good regardless to effect.

Although we didn’t get a huge “maggots” look and feel to the cocktail, it’s always worth experimenting and trying new recipes. That is how we grow as cocktail drinkers!

The third halloween cocktail for 2009, we’re getting closer to the day so let’s really start cranking through some sillyness. This time we’re creating the Sour Witch, another Jonathan Pogash recipe using Lucid Absinthe and sour cherries. We opened a bottle of sparkling wine earlier in the week so we’re using it with this cocktail as well.

The second Halloween Cocktail Recipes of the week? Bloody-Tini. This one may be challenging for some of the folks over seas to create if they don’t have access to VeeV Açaí Spirit or an equivalent product. If you have access to Açaí juice without the VeeV I’d try substituting pomegranate vodka or blueberry vodka.

We’ve got to thank Jonathan Pogath for the kick ass recipe.

Halloween Cocktail Recipes are here, and we’re starting with the Kahlúa Black Cat, a simple start to the festive time of year in the United States and anyone else who wishes to join along. This recipe brings along some sambuca, kahlúa and vanilla vodka (we’re using Three Olives) with a couple espresso beans to build an enjoyable little cocktail.

Let the festivities begin! Plus, it gives us a better chance to act like a dork on video…

If you’re an everyday drinker, there is knowledge ahead to entertain and enhance your mind. It’s still a must listen interview! Once you hear this interview you’ll never use sour mix again.

One key advantage of an absinthe dripper is the footprint it leaves on a shelf. You can easily tuck an absinthe dripper beside the glasses on your shelf or in a cabinet. A large glass fountain can be difficult to store and costs a significant amount of money. Enter the Cusenier Absinthe Dripper Auto Verseur, available at AbsintheOnTheNet.com. This is, by far, one of the coolest accessories one can get for a spirit and its simplicity is key.

The Cusenier Absinthe Dripper Auto Verseur is a silver dripper that sits atop your absinthe glass and funnels water into the glass using a mechanical dripper that slowly drips water from one side and the next using a rocking motion. I brought this to a party this fall and everyone slowly gravitated towards this little device on the table which was consistently and thoughtfully louching the absinthe–it was a hit.

Within moments it looked like a fight broke out as everyone circled the happy little device rocking away at the spirit. Questions rang out, “what is that?” and “what are you doing?” or “wow, that is really cool!” This dripper was the hit of the party and everyone wanted to know where I got it. I also showed off a basic glass Brouilleur which is much more affordable but nobody seemed to really care to watch it drain its water into the glass. It’s practical, no doubt, but people seem to like watching the little metal rocker bouncing back and forth using nothing but gravity.

The glass Brouilleurs costs USD $25.99 compared to the Cusenier Absinthe Dripper Auto Verseur which will run you a costly USD $109.99, half the price of a normal absinthe fountain. However, you’re paying for the uniqueness, the style and the small size but you’re limited to louching one glass at a time where a fountain can usually handle at least two for about the cost of the fountain.

When considering an accessory for louching your absinthe you’ve now got to consider a carafe, drippers/brouilleurs and a larger absinthe fountain each with a cost, size and style to uniquely identify you and the culture of absinthe drinking. If you’re looking for a birthday or holiday gift for dad or your absinthe enthusiast, you definitely want to do a bit of research into a Dripper/Brouilleur.

Here is a nice simple shooter for your weekend, what’s easier than midori and amaretto? Of course, Amaretto fans will be happy and the overall sweetness makes it a desirable drink for those new to cocktail/shooters or those with a little bit of a sweet tooth.

Enter, the Broken Down Golf Cart…what a silly name!

The Red Devil is a potent little cocktail of red proportions, sweet taste and alcoholic fire. This is a big boy, we’re putting it into the tiki god head, the glasses you can buy at AwesomeDrinks.com. While this isn’t truely a “tiki” style cocktail (not as much fruit as we’d expect and no rums), it fits the style and mood of the polynesian cocktail.

If you’ve been looking for a new sloe gin recipe, this cocktail includes it. Now we’re itching for more sloe gin cocktails again, might have to see what we can do about that!

A recipe of pink and purple delight, the French Kiss cocktail is both classy in look and pleasant in taste. The cocktail glass allows the raspberry liqeueur (we’re using chambord) to shine through in a delightful manner while adding a nice black fruity taste to the lighter passion fruit driven cocktail.

The Pink “Kitty,” also goes by the recipe name Pink Pussy but we’re not exactly happy with the naming convention of the original recipe so we changed it. This is a beautifully looking cocktail which reminds us much of a margarita with a distinct citrus finish. The limón rum (Don Q in our case) hides well in this drink and brings a slightly enhanced sour undertone to the cocktail.

The Blue Carnation is a great after-dinner style cocktail, simple in design yet stunning in light blue color. This cocktail has a smooth thick consistency and a great tast utilizing some blue curacao, creme de cacao and cream.

You’ll probably find this cocktail makes a great dessert after a hearty meal or for those that are fans of the cream-based cocktail creations.

Jack-O-Lantern
2 oz. SKYY Infusions Citrus
1 oz. Mango Nectar or Juice
0.5 oz. Orange Juice
0.5 oz. Fresh Sour*

Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake vigorously and pour into a goblet glass and garnish with a slice of orange and a mint leaf laid flat on top. *Combine 0.25 oz fresh lime juice and 0.75 oz simple syrup.

Vampire’s Elixir
1.5 oz.  SKYY Infusions Raspberry
.75 oz.   White Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz.    Half and Half
Strawberry Syrup

Dress strawberry syrup on the inside and rim of a chilled martini glass.  Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass.  Garnish with vampire teeth.

Black Widow
1.5 oz. SKYY Infusions Raspberry
0.5 oz. Triple Sec
2 oz. Pomegranate Juice
Squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice
Raspberry Syrup

Draw a spider web on the inside of a chilled martini glass with raspberry syrup.  Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into chilled martini glass.  Garnish with plastic spider.

Red Zombie
1.5 oz. SKYY Vodka
3 oz. Tomato Juice
0.5 tsp. Finely Grated Horseradish
1 tsp. Barbeque Sauce
3 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
3 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
0.5 tsp. Finely Chopped Chipotle en Adobo
Pinch of Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Generous Squeeze of Lemon Juice
Pinch of Celery Seeds
1 Celery Stick
2 Large Green Olives
2 Lychee Fruits

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass.  Garnish with green eye balls, laid across the rim of the glass*.
*Cut the end of a stalk of celery so it measures 5-6 inches long and split the stick in half lengthwise.  Slide the green olives into two lychee fruits to make eye balls and push the thin celery stick through both as garnish.

Wicked Witch Apple Punch
1 750 ml bottle SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit
1 750 ml bottle Sparkling Apple Cider
1 64 oz. bottle Cranberry Juice Cocktail
1 Liter Ginger Ale
2 cups Pineapple Juice
Red Apple Slices

Combine all ingredients in a large black witch’s cauldron with ice and stir.  Garnish with large slices of red apple floating on top and dry ice.

A layered cocktail makes for a great sunday night and our shooter is just that, a layered cocktail. The Jägermonster is a twist on Jägermeister with a bit of orange juice and grenadine. Of course, that alone doesn’t spell awesome but when you layer them in a kick-ass manner you’ve got awesome in all CAPS, cruise control for cool.

Jäger fans rejoice, you’ll be rocking it hardcore.

The Toblerone cocktail is a pretty drink with a dangerously tasty profile. Not quite coffee, this cocktail has the taste of a mocha latte with slight hints of hazelnut coffee with a creamy texture and pure awesome. A great dessert cocktail and yet another user submitted recipe.

The garnish is first class, the taste is perfect, it’s a must try.

The Cucumber-Melon Delight #2 is something completely new and different on the palate. This cocktail gives you a nice sweetness mingled with fresh cucumber flavors all with a pretty color and presentation. This viewer submitted recipe is well worth a try for all those others that like to share in the cocktail experience.

We’re making our own “sweet and sour” with lemon and simple syrup, you can try a pre-mix if you want and tell us what you think.

The Zeli is a recipe that our view Kris invented that utilizes whiskey, sprite zero and lime juice. The ZE in Zeli is for the Zero while the LI symbolizes the lime. He uses whiskey to add the core flavors for the cocktail. You’ll find this cocktail is a refreshingly carbonated alternative to the whiskey sour and contains enough of its own ingredients to stand alone as its own cocktail.

Not as sour as a whiskey sour while not being overly sweet, this is a well balanced fun cocktail.

The Cherry Tootsie Pop reflects its initial taste in the name but we’ve found it brings more of a nice midly sweet cocktail style to the table. Knowing the name, you’ll probably find the tootise pop taste in the cocktail but it’s a great stand-alone cocktail with the inclusion of Redbull.

This gives you one more fun recipe to utilize your can of redbull energy drink.

The Amaretto Pie, this should satisfy those that love amaretto and want to explore it further. This is a single-alcohol shooter, so you’ll really get the amaretto taste profile with the smooth flavors of pineapple and orange juice.

I put the episode out early (Saturday night) because I’ll be on a plane for a good portion of Sunday. So, a special Saturday treat for you!

The X-Rated Tiara is our latest X-Rated Fusion cocktail. This cocktail contains a little of everything from juices to alcohols. There are splashes of sour apple pucker, whiskey, pineapple juice, fresh lime and some cranberry juice along with our X-Rated Fusion.

Are you afraid yet? You should be. The Grateful Dead cocktail isn’t for the weak at heart, this cocktail brings the power, punch and influence of all its contents. The chambord influences the color while the alcohols influence the punch in the grill, prepare your senses for an odd ride of flavors.

There are no juices to round this sucker out, it’s a cocktail and a half.

After pouring, the nose rises up to a fairly intense alcohol which burns the nasal passages a bit. Once I work through a third sniff I was able to get past some of the intensity and find the subtle caramel and pineapple-like sweet aromas. The more a nosed the glass the more sweet the flavor profile grew.

The taste is medium body, not too thick or mature but not watery either. The initial attack of flavors were lightly sweet with a hint of chocolate in the mid-palate transition but still has a slight tingling burn on the edges of my tongue. The finish is quite clean and clear with a bit of dryness and pineapple sweet notes.

Overall, Flor de Caña is a fun tasting experience even though it’s a bit intense on the alcoholic nose. I think this is a wise buy at some of the prices I’ve found on the Internet. For the cost of USD $14.99 you’re going to get a crisp and clean rum experience with slightly sweet tastes that don’t go overboard in any direction.

For those looking for a flavorful drink that isn’t full of fruits, the Sweet Old Fashioned #2 may be a good cocktail choice. This cocktail has subtle brandy/cognac flavors and smoothness with an underlying structure of angostura bitter.

This is a neat experience for anyone that wants to really taste the flavors of the bitters without the sour bit of trying them directly.

Simple, subtle, tasty. That’s the beauty of the Airhead shooter, it brings two key ingredients: cranberry juice and peach schnapps. It’s not as sweet as you’d think, the cranberry brings a bit of the tartness to balance the schnapps sweet flavors.

Overall, it’s a face rocker.

The Bailey’s Mint Chocolate Martini is a pretty cocktail of flavorful proportions. The ingredient count is low as Bailey’s brings a nice delicious coffee-like flavor with great textures and the subtle mint component. This would make a great dessert style drink or after dinner cocktail leading up to a slightly more dark chocolate dessert or coffee.

The Flaming Pud Whacker, also known as the Flaming Cock Smack (by the “dirty name”) brings tons of fruity flavors, primarily pineapple juice. The flavors of this drink drown out most of the alcohol taste but for the 151 layered on top. If using a straw, you can get around the intense 151 flavors.

We’re not sure about the “flaming” part of the cocktail as 151 doesn’t sit well on the top of this cocktail, perhaps we read the instructions wrong but it seemed fairly straight forward…

Beers in this episode include: Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Märzen, Leinenkugel Oktoberfest, New Belgium Hoptober Golden Ale, Millstream Brewing Co. Oktoberfest Lager, Victory Festbier Oktoberfest Seasonal, Mendocino Fall Seasonal Autumn Lager (Märzen Style), Samuel Adams Oktoberfest Seasonal, Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen, Spaten Oktoberfest – Ur-Märzen and Bluemoon’s fall seasonal. Is that enough? Yeah, that’s good.

For more on styles of beer and in-depth reviews checkout The Beer Genome Project.

We’re on a Bailey’s kick, here is the first recipe known as the Liquid Caramel. If you’re a huge fan of coffee or coffee-like beverages, this might be perfect for you. At first I was amazed that the liquid caramel doesn’t use caramel Bailey’s Irish Cream in it, but we’ll remedy that with a caramel flavored Bailey’s later!

The final installment of our first blind rum tasting concludes with this episode in which we battle current leader Bacardi against Cruzan and 10 Cane rum. While every rum we’ve tasted in our blind tasting has qualified as a good product, we can only have one winner so it will come down to round 3.

We wanted to thank everyone for all the comments. We had some great suggestions to keep in mind going forward and have learned a lot from the experience. We’ve seen passion behind specific brands where some people refuse to believe we “let” bacardi get this far while others defend them. You may not agree with our assessment of the brands and that is perfectly okay, everyone’s palate is different.

Premium Pontarlier Reservior

There are plenty of accessories to outfit the most enthusiastic absinthe drinker but which are the best for you? You don’t have to be an absinthe connoisseur to appreciate a good drinking vessel. I wanted to take a few minutes to point out three unique glassware products for drinking absinthe.

You may start by using any glass tumbler in your household and it will work just as any fancy absinthe glass. I’ve found that absinthe drinking, unlike a vodka or rum, feels more like a hobby than a simple spirit after work. There are three glass designs that are worth mentioning which I have found on AbsintheOnTheNet and many more would be excellent buys, but one can’t have them all!

The first is known as the Pontarlier Reservoir Absinthe Glass, it is your standard fair absinthe glass that you may see in product shots and in the cabinets of many absinthe enthusiasts. This glass style costs USD $16.99, which is a competitive cost; not too unlike other products of equal specialization such as a whisky/brandy snifter. The shape is very specific to absinthe, as the base holds exactly 30ml (or approximately 1-ounce) of liquid, the shape than molds itself outwards into a typical glass mouth.

The base of the Pontarlier makes it easy for absinthe drinkers to pour their 1-ounce measure and drip 2-4 ounces of water into the glass using an Absinthe Fountain. A normal glass tumbler will require a measuring cup to exact the right pour, which is important for a nice consistent louche.

Premium Bubble Reservoir

Let’s now move up the food chain to the Premium Bubble Reservoir and see what this has to offer. Besides being made of a lab grade borosilicate glass, which is cool upon itself, the clear glass tumbler allows you to see the exact quality of your absinthe. There are no ornamental lines or designs to distract from the contents within the glass, this is a great glass to inspect your product closely. The bottom of the glass has a very exaggerated bulb to measure out your 1-ounce of absinthe, almost as if the glass doubles as a measuring glass and absinthe vessel. This quality absinthe glass is a bit more costly than the Pontarlier at the price of USD $31.99.

Premium Verre Torsadee Reservoir

The final product which I enjoy the most, and has been a hit at recent cocktail parties: the Premium Verre Torsadee Reservoir. This hand blown stylish glass remains crystal clear yet contains very delicate twists and holds up to bumps and temperature changes using the lab grade borosilicate glass–did I mention it’s as light as a feather? The Verre Torsadee costs USD $38.99 and maintains a sense of high class elegance with gold trim and all the fixings.

Which style of glass is best for you? I consider it an investment to buy a series of glasses that are all the same style. In that case, you must consider how many you plan to buy as four Pontarlier glasses aren’t such a bad deal, but you willing to shell out USD $156 for four Verre Torsadee glasses? Of course, if you’re the only absinthe drinker in the house, as I am, the cost is much easier to consider. You can always buy a couple Pontarlier glasses for the guests (be polite, give them the fancy ones, you take the Pontarlier!)

I would suggest new absinthe drinkers purchase a few starter glasses like the Pontarlier and if you find that you keep up the spirit drinking experience, you can upgrade to new fancier glasses later or ask for them as a holiday/birthday gift. My goal is to show you some of the different qualities and selections on the market so that you can make your own informed decisions. Now go out there and start celebrating the rebirth of absinthe!

Read on for his full biography.

Master blender Keith Law began his career in the Scotch whisky industry in 1979 when he joined the Quality Control Laboratory at Caledonian Distillery in Edinburgh. Keith’s career began not in malt whisky but in grain whisky, where he worked closely alongside his father at this renowned grain distillery.

A sensory specialist in the whisky industry, Keith spent 12 years as part of the management team at Carsebridge Technical Centre, responsible for quality for all grain distilling and specialised areas of malt distilling. The primary focus of this role was around optimisation of distillery yields, flavour profiles and distillery performance; A large part of this role involved the nosing of new make spirit.

In 2007, with the formation of Diageo’s European Technical Centre, Diageo’s Master Blenders have joined together to become one team. Keith’s role within the technical centre as a Master Blender is varied. He is heavily involved in the development of new whisky products with end to end responsibility from cask selection through to overseeing production of pre-market launch bottlings.

Since joining Diageo, Keith has worked at each of Diageo’s 27 malt distilleries and 2 grain distilleries. His roles have been heavily focused on all aspects of sensory analysis allowing Keith to develop significant insights into flavour creation, blending and a deep understanding of the effects of oak on maturation, cask structure and wood physiology.
After nearly 30 years in the “land of whisky flavour”, Keith is often asked to use his experience by providing Spirit Mastery support to various mentoring programmes within Diageo and is an intrinsic part of a team of the most respected whisky blenders in the world.

Keith originally hails from Edinburgh in Scotland but now lives in the central region near Stirling. In his spare time he enjoys playing rugby, scuba diving and walking through the beautiful scenery of Scotland with his wife and two young daughters.

The Sox on the Rocks – August 6th, 2009 began the 4 game series where the Yankees swept the Red Sox to shove Boston six and a half games out of first place in the American League East.

• 1 ½ parts Tommy Bahama White Sand Rum
• ¾ part JC Apple Cognac
• ½ part Apple Puree
• ¼ part Sweet Vermouth

Shake ingredients over ice and pour into a chilled glass – Garnish with an apple to show NY is on top.

K-Rod Krush – named for the season’s most talked about Yankee couple

• 1 ½ parts Tommy Bahama Golden Sun
• ¾ part fresh lime juice
• 1 parts simple syrup
• 6 fresh mint leaves
• 2 dashes angostura bitters
• 1 part Prosecco

Muddle mint with lime juice and simple syrup into a mixing glass. Add Golden Sun Rum and bitters and shake over ice. Top with Prosecco to make sure the relationship doesn’t fall flat.

Pie in Your Eye – This season, high five’s are a thing of the past. Now after a walk-off win, the game’s hero gets a pie to the face right before the MVP gets interviewed for a post-game report.

• 1 ½ parts Tommy Bahama White Sand Rum
• ½ part Sour Apple Schnapps
• Drop of Half and Half
• Graham Cracker Rimmer
• Whipped Cream
• Granny Smith Apple Slice
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg powder

Shake White Sand Rum, sour apple schnapps and half and half in a shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled glass rimmed with graham cracker crumbs. Garnish with whipped cream and a slice of granny smith apple. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Mo than 500 – On June 28, 2009, the Yanks closer became only the second pitcher ever to break the 500 save mark, making him one of the best closers of all time.

• 2 parts Tommy Bahama Golden Sun Rum
• 1 part Maple Syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist for mo flavor.

Battin 1000 (plus 1722) – On September 11, 2009, the shortstop known for his good looks broke the New York Yankees’ hit record held by Lou Gehrig for more than seven decades with 2,722 hits.

• 2 parts Tommy Bahama Golden Sun Rum
• 1 part Hazelnut Liqueur
• 1 pinch Cinnamon Powder
• 1 Cinnamon Stick

Shake Golden Sun Rum and hazelnut liqueur over ice and strain into a glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with a bat (or stick) of cinnamon.

Playoff Punch – On September 22, 2009 the Yankees beat the Angels and secured their place in the 2009 Post Season.

• 2/3 parts Tommy Bahama Golden Sun Rum
• 1 Part Tommy Bahama White Sand Rum
• 1/3 part premium Orange Liqueur
• 1 ¾ parts Pineapple Juice
• ½ lime
• 1 ¾ parts Orange Juice
• 2 dashes Grenadine

Pour all ingredients except Tommy Bahama Golden Sun rum into a shaker with ice. Shake sharply. Pour into a glass filled with ice. Carefully float the dark rum on top.

Hopefully some of these recipes will be valuable in the future, definitely checkout Tommy Bahama Rum and see what it’s all about! I’m not a Yankee’s fan myself, but I do love good cocktails!

Welcome to the second blind tasting on the show. This is the prototype “pilot” episoide for a spinoff show that focuses on the spirit themselves, not the cocktail. Jennifer and I bring on round-2, this time we’re tasting Bacardi (yesterday’s winner) against Don Q and Brave Spirits rum brands.

Please note, as with yesterday, each of these brands, in our view, are great products — we’re searching for the one that tastes best on our palate without the persuasion of label or friendship. We love the producers of all the brands regardless to where they rank in our mouth.

For those that have sent comments on creative ways to rank or suggestions for the show, remember that this episode was pre-recorded after the last one so changes were not able to be made.

Welcome to the first true blind tasting on the show! This is the prototype “pilot” episoide for a spinoff show that focuses on the spirit themselves, not the cocktail. That means both Jennifer and I are on camera hoping to bring you close to the world of light rums through our own taste buds.

Many folks have been awaiting this show, as have we, and today it becomes real. This is one of a three-part blind tasting, tomorrow you’ll see round 2 and on Tuesday we’ll release the third and final round. This also marks Jennifer’s first appearance on the show, marking the 169th episode.

It’s time for a little Tropical Blizzard, this is a rum-based spirit using a Blue Curacao paired with a Coconut flavored rum. This recipe hits all the target points on presentation and taste without overcomplicating the drink all while bringing in great fruit flavors using juices.

This is the re-creation of the Honolulu Lulu recipe. While the last rendition was fun and exciting it was missing one of the key ingredients: kahlua. Removing all distractions, we’re trying it again and focusing on the ingredients to get it right this time.

In all fairness, we’re using Cruzan this time instead of Don Q, both rums are great so use what you have (or another brand, perhaps Bacardi). It still tastes like coffee but the recipe does have a bit more balanced flavores towards the coffee and less towards the pineapple.

The Balrog shooter doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the Lord of the Rings movie, but it is a neat little recipe non-the-less. The Hornito’s Tequila, Tito’s Vodka and Averna Sambuca mingle together to make a slightly firery cocktail with a good tequila finish.

Our second guest star, Reinhard, is helping us create the Honolulu Lulu recipe. This recipe is unique as it looks like and hints at being a tropical drink but the finish of the cocktail is much more coffee-like than sweet. Don Q was used for our rum styles but you can use your favorite rum, my new favorite happens to be Don Q. In order to really enjoy the drink we’ve got our German friend to make sure we did it well, Prost!

Watch through the entire video to see our hidden Austrian attack after the recipe credits.

We’ve got our first international guest on the show, Oliver comes to us from Austria and he’s a huge cocktail fan. So, in order to “bless” him into the group, we’re creating the Scorpion Bowl cocktail. This is an exotic and extremely dangerous cocktail to say the least, a great deal of alcohol with tastes that go down fairly sweet with a burning finish.

Needless to say, Oliver left the house extremly “happy” after the event, having to be helped to the car and to his hotel a german friend who is strong enough to help him along. That friend… you’ll see on tomorrows show (teaser!!)

The bottle cost 3€ (euro) which is a pretty good deal considering it’s a minibar purchase, not too overpriced for the convenience. Sure, I could go down to the hotel bar and get a full tall glass for about the same cost but typing up a review in the bar seems a bit too…dorky?

Holding the glass up to my hotel light shows off a beautiful golden color with a nice one-finger tall head which sits on the top of the beer for many minutes. The carbonation is huge, reminding me of a champagne in bubble movement which seems to help maintain the head for the long term.

The scent smells like a lightly floral hop with a slightly bitter feeling on the nose. There is definitely a light flavored bouquet which is super subtle and requires you to really dive your nose in deep to get the real feelings for the profile. Very crisp and refreshing and just what I’d want in a pilsner.

The taste is prickly on the tongue as the carbonation takes hold, a very light and refreshing taste from start to finish. The attack is that of muted hops which bring a crisp and slightly sweet mid-palate transition into a finish that’s got a bit of hop bite along with perhaps a little citrus finish.

The Veltins is a text-book pilsener beer with pleasing tastes for a new beer drinker all the way to the professional German beer enthusiast. It won’t bring a huge amount of bitterness nor does it taste like a watered down beverage. The Veltins falls right in the middle with a bit more sweet taste with a citrus and earthy finish.

This is a great weekend beer or social beer and would be extremely refreshing after a long day of working in the sun, perhaps in your garden. Definitely worth a trip to my hotel minibar.

The Washington Apple is a great cocktail to introduce people to whiskey as it doesn’t bring whiskey in full force and allows other sweeter tones to shine through. You’ll still find the oaks and smoothness of the whiskey while bringing an added structure of cranberry to really showcase the cocktail.

The taste of this ice wine is thick and sweet with a very nice acidic structure that really pulls in some beautiful acids in the mid-palate. While my sweet taste buds dance with apricot and green grape skins the mid-palate continues with an earthy mineral flavoring and finishes sweet with a hint of alcohol heat and lasts for minutes.

I’m impressed with the long-lasting nature of the finish, it tastes as if I just eat a half bag of crisp green grapes. It’s not often I taste a wine that actually reminds me of a fruit so long after the glass is empty. Like most ice wines, I have a hard time putting it down, so my glass doesn’t last as long as it should.

Overall, the Vidal is a strong ice wine grape and is one of the sturdiest varieties lasting the long winter nights. While it has found its home in ice wine and is more common amongst the style, it brings its own uniqueness that is worthy of a sip or three. A bottle of Inniskillin Vidal Gold will cost you roughly USD $75 so I do suggest taking your time with the bottle and enjoy each sip. Ice wines will cost you a pretty penny and this bottle is worthy of its price, hard to beat in quality and complexities.

A nice slightly sweet shot with slight hints of banana, nice hazenut flavors and a bit of vanilla. The Banana Cream Pie #3 may be the third in its recipe-style, but it’s a #1 in our book. This gives us more uses of vanilla vodka and should be a hit with our Frangelico fans as well!

This user submission is an absinthe recipe for those absinthe lovers in the crowd. While it’s called the Fairy’s Kiss, I find it also would fit the term “absinthe sour.” Such is the way with cocktail recipes, they go by many names so call it what you want.

We recommend a fine absinthe or something that you really love to drink to accompany the lemon and sugar.

Champagne, a bubbly experience, the club soda of wines. We’re creating the champagne cooler recipe, using some champagne, cointreau (or triple sec) and a bit o’ brandy (or Hennessey cognac). This is one of two champagne recipes this week, so crack open the bottle and prepare yourself for the experience!

Lion Stout Imported (from Sri Lanka), Cristalino Meodo Tradicional BRUT, Blue Moon, Sam Adams Lager, a Dark N Stormy and the Tequila Sour. This is gonna be a good time.

Special thanks to guest Mike from Beergeno.me for helping us out with the BBQ cocktails and the SNICKER SALAD

What was I saying? Oh yeah, this is the Mind Eraser Shooter. This cocktail tastes much like a soda-flavored coffee with well hidden alcohols, thus the name… you drink too many of these and you’re going to blank out. It has a pretty presentation for a small sized shooter.

The Tequila Sour is a great way to experience tequila without going full Margarita. It’s sweet yet sour, has nice flavor properties without the orange and the bitters make it stand out as its own drink.

Tequila lovers will, of course, love it and new tequila drinkers may find a more subtle way to experiment with tequilas. If you’re not into reposado’s, try the blanco/white/silver variaty. If you don’t have agave nectar, use simple syrup.

Could you imagine a professional tournament involving the beer game, Flip Cup? Yeah, well, it exists and it’s happening this October.

If you’re in Las Vegas in October and you like competitive tournaments perhaps this is the event for you!

Flip Cup Guys To Host World’s Largest Flip Cup Tournament in Las Vegas

Flip cup teams from across the U.S. to compete at Hooters Casino Hotel for Jamaican vacations, cruises to Grand Cayman and eternal glory.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Flip Cup Guys (www.flipcupguys.com), a leading organizer of flip cup tournaments and niche sports competitions, will host the second annual World’s Largest Flip Cup Tournament (WLFCT) on October 11, 2009 at the Hooters Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Flip Cup Guys, known by tens of thousands of beer-loving twenty and thirty somethings for its fun niche sports events – such as flip cup tournaments, tricycle races and competitive eating contests – has partnered with the World Adult Kickball Association (www.kickball.com) and Hooters Casino Hotel to bring its record-breaking 64-team tournament to the west coast.

The WLFCT is being held in conjunction with WAKA Kickball’s 12th annual Founders Cup World Championship tournament, which will be held in Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 10.

“We’re very excited to be working with WAKA Kickball, Hooters Casino Hotel and all of our sponsors to bring the World’s Largest Flip Cup Tournament to Las Vegas. This year is going to be bigger than ever”, said Scott Gerber, co-founder of Flip Cup Guys.

WLFCT’s grand prize is a 7-night Spring Break Package to Negril, Jamaica, courtesy of Sun Splash Tours (www.sunsplashtours.com). The Spring Break Jamaica trip will include 7 nights of hotel accommodations, airport transfers and a complete activities program. The WLFCT Survivor Tournament champion will win a free cruise for two from Tampa to Grand Cayman on April 15-19, 2010 courtesy of VH1 Best Cruise Ever (www.vh1bestcruisever.com), a floating music festival hosted by 3 Doors Down and featuring Lifehouse, Shinedown and more. Other prize sponsors include Portopong (www.portopong.com), the world’s first inflatable portable beer pong table, Major League Flip Cup (www.majorleagueflipcup.com), creator of the World Series of Flip Cup, WAKA Kickball (www.kickball.com), the world’s largest adult kickball organization, BPONG.com, creators of the World Series of Beer Pong, and Hooters Casino Hotel (www.hooterscasinohotel.com). In addition, the beautiful ladies from the Hooters 2010 Calendar will be at the tournament cheering on competitors.

Six-person teams and spectators can now sign-up at www.FlipCupGuys.com. Registration fees are $30 per player or $25 per spectator and include entry to the tournament, a 3-hour open beer bar and free game play beer. Hooters Casino Hotel is offering WLFCT flip cup players and spectators discounted room rates starting at $69 per night. To make a reservation, call 1-800-522-7366. Participants must identify themselves as members of “FlipCup” to receive the guaranteed group rate. Book by September 1, 2009 to receive the lowest rates available.

Flip Cup Guys is hosting tournaments in Hoboken (9/26), Washington DC (9/26), and Milwaukee (8/29) where winners will receive a free spot in WLFCT II. Teams can sign-up for these qualifiers at www.FlipCupGuys.com.

“It still amazes me how Flip Cup Guys started as a small flip cup tournament in Hoboken and is now a nationally recognized brand with fans from all over the United States. And we’ve only just begun”, said Mike Volpe, co-founder of Flip Cup Guys.
For more information regarding the Flip Cup Guys and/or to arrange interviews with co-founders Scott and Mike, email media@flipcupguys.com or call 201.751.4754.

ABOUT FLIP CUP GUYS
Founded in 2007, Flip Cup Guys is the leading organizer of flip cup tournaments and niche sports events throughout the United States and creator of the World’s Largest Flip Cup Tournament. WLFCT 2008 brought together teams from 10 states and Canada and was proclaimed “Flipping Fun!” by Sports Illustrated. See videos of the 2008 WLFCT at http://tinyurl.com/wlfct and http://tinyurl.com/wlfctsurvivor. Download the Flip Cup Guys fact sheet at http://tinyurl.com/fcgfactsheet. Flip Cup Guys will launch its new theme bar, “Flip Cup Guys Barcade & Gamery”, in 2010. For more information about Flip Cup Guys or to learn how to start a Flip Cup Guys franchise in your city visit www.FlipCupGuys.com.

ABOUT WORLD ADULT KICKBALL ASSOCIATION (WAKA)
Founded in 1998, the World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA Kickball) is the world’s largest adult kickball organization with teams in more than 30 states nationwide, as well as in London and Iraq. WAKA Kickball is a social-athletic organization that provides fun and happiness to adults through kickball. For more information, visit www.kickball.com.

ABOUT HOOTER CASINO HOTEL
Hooters Casino Hotel is conveniently located one block from the famous Las Vegas Strip and across from the MGM Grand.  While guests can expect to see more than 200 world-famous Hooters Girls throughout the property, an exciting mix of drinking, entertainment and nightlife is also featured, from eight fine and funky restaurants and bars, to one of the hottest pool decks in town.  Home of the world-famous chicken wings, the casino’s Hooters Restaurant is connected to Porch Dogs, a Caribbean-themed, casual, indoor-outdoor club with a full-service bar and live entertainment.  They’re joined by the sports fan’s favorite, Pete & Shorty’s Book and Bar and The Lobby Bar, conveniently located at the main entrance – what else would you expect from Hooters?  For a good time, head to Dixie’s Dam Bar, a rock ‘n’ roll watering hole on the Las Vegas Strip.  Nippers Pool Bar injects the Hooters energy and style into the dramatic tropical pool area, complete with waterfalls and palm trees.  Dan Marino’s 24-Hour Dining delivers upscale dining in a casual atmosphere ‘round the clock.  Just a few steps away, the Night Owl Showroom packs a one-two punch, with performances by all male revue “The Men of X” and The Todd Paul Show. Starting in September, Purple Reign will be joining the line-up in the Night Owl Showroom.  Hooters Casino Hotel is also home to Tito Ortiz MMA Punishment Las Vegas retail store.  The 30,000 square-foot Hooters-themed casino floor offers approximately 650 state-of-the-art slot and video-poker machines and 33 table games.  Hooters Casino Hotel is owned by 155 East Tropicana, LLC.  For more information, call (866) LVHoots or visit www.HootersCasinoHotel.com.

ABOUT THE HOOTERS CALENDAR
The Hooters Calendar had its debut in 1986 when there were only 4 Hooters restaurants. This fall, the 2010 Hooters Calendar will be sold in over 400 Hooters restaurants worldwide. After 24 years, the Hooters Calendar is still the top selling calendar of its kind. Featuring over 180 bikini clad servers from the Hooters restaurant chain worldwide, the Calendar’s popularity is unmatched, and continues to drive the wholesome sex appeal of the “all American cheerleader” and “the girl next door” that made the Hooters Girls World Famous.

ABOUT SUN SPLASH TOURS
Sun Splash Tours specializes in Spring Break Trips. Since 1987, they have provided the best Spring Break Deals to the Caribbean and Mexico. For Spring Break 2010 they will be adding Spring Break Cruises and Spring Break Amsterdam to their growing list of destinations.

ABOUT VH1 BEST CRUISE EVER
VH1 and Sixthman are teaming up to bring you the ultimate music lover’s getaway – VH1 Best Cruise Ever! As you sail through the Caribbean onboard the Carnival Inspiration April 15-19, 2010, your hosts 3 Doors Down – plus featured artists Lifehouse and Shinedown and more than a dozen other bands, including Carolina Liar, Finger Eleven and SAFETYSUIT – will provide the perfect soundtrack. Enjoy non-stop concerts from your favorite artists, VH1-themed activities and contests, plus the chance to hang with your favorite bands!

ABOUT BPONG.COM & THE WORLD SERIES OF BEER PONG
Founded in 2001, BPONG.COM is the official governing body of beer pong and the creators of the World Series of Beer Pong. BPONG.COM’s founders have a deep love and respect for the sport of beer pong, and their website is the largest community for beer pong players to get together online. BPONG.COM also offers the most beer pong gear and equipment of any beer pong website in existence. Their goal is to bring together the numerous independent leagues across the country and form a single, unified league for the popular and fast-growing sport. The World Series of Beer Pong is the largest, longest-running organized beer pong tournament in the world, created by beer pong players, for beer pong players. The fifth annual WSOBP will be held in Las Vegas January 1-5, 2010 and will offer the largest payout in beer pong history of $50,000. For more information, please visit www.bpong.com.

ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE FLIP CUP
Major League Flip Cup is the official governing body of all things Flip Cup and creator of the World Series of Flip Cup (www.MLFlipCup.com).  For over 8 years, MLFC has been the leader for flip cup gear and in promoting the sport of flip cup around the world.  2010 will mark the 5th World Series of Flip Cup and will be held in Baltimore, MD.

ABOUT PORTOPONG
PORTOPONG, the founders of inflatable beer pong tables, was formed by friends who noticed a need for high-quality and complete portability in the world of beer pong and dedicated to providing those who love to play games with the most creative, exciting and convenient party supplies available. Visit www.portopong.com.

The Whiskey Sour is a beautifully elegant tasting cocktail with flavors of sweet and sour, almost like lemonade along with great oak flavors with a great body. This recipe worked so well I’ve had three more since recording the episode. This is what a great core cocktail should taste like without losing its identity as a whiskey.

Not only does the Nigori (translates to “cloudy”) pour white, it has a good amount of small particles that stick to the edge of the glass when swirled, showing the true unfiltered nature of the spirit. The nose is fruity and contains that yeasty “saké” smell that seems unique to the spirit. The sweet flavors seem fruity but don’t distinguish themselves with any specific style of fruit but it does bring out some vague sweetness that I cannot pinpoint.

The taste of the Gekkeikan Nigori requires a few sips, at first it attacked my palate with very little sweetness and a bite upon the mid-palate with an alcohol finish. Taking a second sip my tongue awoke and found more sweet flavors on the initial attack with a gritty milky mid-palate transition which hinted at almonds and finished with a bit of an alcoholic punch.

The finish continues for about thirty to forty seconds with a slight heat, slight dry and slightly “sake” flavorings. By the fifth sip I started to really pull out the overall dry finish that must be explored before you find it. The dryness lasts for at least five minutes between sips, if you’re not into the “dry factor” then you’ll probably want to avoid the Gekkeikan Nigori Saké.

Overall, I found this Saké to be a bit mild and watery with a dry finish. It didn’t really strike my interest with any big “awesome” factor but may be a good “brew” to introduce to new Saké drinkers who want to get a sense for Saké without too much potency. This 300ML bottle will cost you roughly USD $5.99 which isn’t going to really break the bank so experimentation is possible without feeling like you were ripped off. For its price, it’s a fine beverage but lacks a bit of subtle nuance that I like in a spirit, beer or wine and Saké is more like a beer than any of the others.

The Shochu Sour is a light carbonated cocktail that will be great for cocktail drinkers trying to get their “feet wet” in the realm of cocktails. The recipe is subtle and those drinkers looking for more kick will want to lower the degree of club soda or push up the shochu to 2 ounces and the lime to at least one-half ounce.

After experimenting, I’d highly suggest you try this with the lemon flavored Haamonii Shochu to get additional flavors.

The Rozier Fee Fountain has a few key features that make it a must buy product for those looking for a quality absinthe fountain. The fountain is created from Borosilicate Glass which is used to make laboratory equipment and thus it has a very high resistance to temperature while maintaining a strong endurance to damage. In short, it’s not going to break like standard glassware will and it maintains an ultra-light weight profile–transporting this quality absinthe fountain feels much like carrying a pencil. When the fountain arrived in the mail I thought the product was stolen and gone but, once I opened the box, I found it well protected in its shipping padding. Amazing.

Aside from the aesthetic qualities and fancy looks, the fountain contains some common sense style and grace. The fountains spouts are low, below the water-bowl, and thus allow all the water to flow fourth leaving the water base empty once all its contents have been used. You won’t need to lean the fountain to the side to force out any remaining water. The spouts themselves have excellent faucet controls which spin easily and allow for a very slow drip to a quick consistent pour. The faucets don’t stick at all which this is extremely important as a stuck faucet can lead to a “mobile fountain” as you force your way to twist the tiny handles. Costly glass fountains are not meant to be mobile and slide around the table as you try to force your way to unlock a faucet nob, not a problem with the Rozier Fee Fountain.

In addition to containing the fine pouring abilities and low spouts, this quality absinthe fountain has four total faucets which allows you to pour absinthe for a a party of one to four people simultaneously. Hopefully you know at least four people! If you don’t know four people, show them your new fountain and you’ll make friends quickly (okay, that’s shallow, but you chuckled a bit, right?)

The one minor flaw in the fountain, , if you’d consider it one, is its overall water capacity of 40 ounces. It holds enough to pour four glasses of absinthe easily (probably will pour eight total without a problem), other larger bowl fountains can pour many more glasses, some as much as 2-liters (67 ounces) at the sacrifice of looking a bit uglier or being a lot more expensive. The Rozier Fee Fountain, imported from Germany, costs $234.99 at absintheonthenet.com and that price includes shipping insurance.

Is this quality absinthe fountain worth the price? It depends on your dedication to absinthe drinking, if you’re a casual drinker that may use the fountain once every few months you may want to look for a cheaper alternative, like the $44 absinthe fountain we’ve already taken a look at earlier. If you’re falling in love with the absinthe lifestyle, I think it’s well worth investing in a quality absinthe fountain and some fancy 24k gold spoons. Drinking absinthe, for some folks, is a hobby of love and should be considered an investment in the future.

Quality absinthe costs a good deal of money, would you expect a quality fountain to be any less?

Nothing is more unique and refreshing than an açaí mojito, the Eco Mojito is as crisp and tasty as a standard mojito with a unique berry flavor. This drink rings in our first show Spirit of the Month which we’ve dedicated to VeeV Açaí Spirit as it’s unique flavors and quality goodness are hard to beat.

Checkout VeeV Life for more on this great spirit.

What makes an ice wine so rare and costly? Listen on to know it all.

A simple shot who’s most complicated task is rimming the shot glass with sugar. The jagermeister is only subtle in the Blended Frog shooter, while the chocolate and mint play an important role. This cocktail doesn’t require mixing, can be prepared easily and tastes sweet.

You can rim the shot glasses ahead of time to create a nice hard sugar for drinking.

Wormwood Leaf Absinthe Spoon

Since discovering Absinthe, I’ve found the preparation to be quite fun when it comes to working with the spirit. While most accessories aren’t required many are preferred because it makes preparing absinthe easy and fun. Once you’ve got yourself an absinthe fountain, such as the low-cost one we’ve reviewed already or a more fancy alternative such as the Rozier Fee Fountain (which I’ll review later) you’ll want a neat spoon to trick out and accessorize your louche experience.

There are many spoon styles to choose from in a range of prices. I’ve started by trying some introductory spoons, such as the one that came with my bottle of La Fée Absinthe, and now I believe it’s time to move onto something a bit more fancy with a higher class quality and presentation. What I’ve got in my hands are few 24k Gold Plated absinthe spoons, imported from France by absintheonthenet.com. Let’s face it, if you’re going to be absinthe accessories of any quality, the Internet is the place to shop for this current niche product line.

There is no doubt in my mind a lower priced spoon will function just as well as a 24k Gold Plated Toulouse Lautrec Spoon. Yet there is a lot to be said for style and elegance and this USD $39.99 spoon holds both these qualities in a very heavy weight spoon (about double the weight of my basic silver absinthe spoons). Like regular kitchen accessories, some folks like their utensils of a higher grade and quality even though a standard lower-end utensil functions the just as well; the same can be said for absinthe preparation.

Toulouse Lautrec Absinthe Spoon

The edges on the Toulouse Lautrec Absinthe Spoon have are refined and smooth where the cheaper silver spoons have harder edges that are a bit rough against the skin. The same can be said for a few of the other gold plated spoons such as the Bistro spoon (USD $36.99) and one of the coolest spoons, the Wormwood Leaf Spoon.

When you start getting into absinthe accessories you’ll find yourself purchasing above-average to expensive tools that reflect your own personality. Perhaps you’re into practicality and want a more general design or maybe you’d rather go fancy with etchings and carvings; there is a spoon to fit everyone.

I’ve found absintheonthenet.com has some extremely neat imported spoons that mirror the historic designs of old while bringing new grace and beauty to the absintheur in all of us. You can buy a low cost USD $19.99 absinthe spoon but you’ll not feel proud to hand that down through the family; many of these spoons can easily become a collectors items passed down from generation to absinthe-drinking generation.

Bistro Absinthe Spoon

Next time, we’ll take a closer look at a fancy absinthe fountain and a bunch of very neat glass designs that can enhance your absinthe drinking experience. Are they needed? No, you can work absinthe magic without all these nice accessories just like you can stir a cocktail without a bar spoon or make a margarita in a standard glass tumbler. Sometimes creating a spirit is as much about the mood as it is the flavor.

What mood are you in?

The perfect Hawaiian drink, the Lava Flow. This drink is made up entirely of awesome. You’ve got great blended natural flavors, a thick consistency with enough rum to relax you on a hot day. We’re using Don Q rum again in this one, but you can use whatever you want. I’d suggest heading out and getting some Don Q if you can find it.

Most folks should have no problem making this, get yourself some cream of coconut and fruits, the most difficult task is getting a blender.

I also poured a glass with a tad bit of water to inspire more flavors from this Puerto Rican rum. The glass with water brought stronger vanilla and oak with a light chocolate. Not much more was found with the additional water. I thought I was going to get more flavors with the water but didn’t find too much added flavor. Such is the way of science!

The taste of the Grand Añejo is warming with an initial attack of cinnamon and black pepper. I found the texture very smooth and not too thick, while it had great textures it had a delicate balance between viscosity and playful liquid. The second sip brought an over-ripened pineapple skin with a caramel mid-palate and a smooth creamy oak finish containing hints of chocolate and vanilla. I did find a light burn on the edges of my tongue, tickling the sour taste buds while bringing on a nice sweet oak to keep the balance pure.

Add a little water and you’ll get buttery pineapples and the burn still maintains on the edges of the tongue. After sitting for 10-minutes in the glass, I found the water brought out more bourbon properties with more oak than without the water.

Like any good aged spirit, I think this will be best enjoyed in a glass “neat.” After you’ve had a few glasses I’d experiment with watering it down a bit to bring out more of the bourbon properties and experience it all over again. A bottle of Don Q Grand Añejo Rum will cost around USD $59.99 which is a bit high for new rum drinkers but those that love to experience the complexities and nuances of a fine spirit will be willing to shell out the cash. You’ll get some classic whiskey nuances with the backbone of a Puerto Rican rum, which is exactly what I was hoping to receive.

Absinthe isn’t cheap, typically hitting the USD $60 price tag and beyond. If you’re willing to invest a bit of money into an absinthe spirit it may be in your best interest to spend a little more to prepare a good louche. AbsintheDevil.com has a huge list of available absinthe fountains from basic to ultra fancy and we’re going to take a look at an economical value play with their USD $44 Glass Absinthe Fountain.

This fountain is 18.5-inches tall (with lid), 4-1/2 inches in diameter and has two faucets (also known as robinettes). The two faucets allow you to easily louche two glasses at a time, allowing you to quickly fill glasses at a party or for a guest/loved one. The fountain itself holds a good amount of water and has a 9-inch clearance under the faucet to allow fairly large absinthe glasses as targets for your absinthe pleasure.

This specific fountain isn’t extremely fancy and doesn’t have a lot of flare when it comes to showing off your cool device. However, it has a highly practical use at an affordable price and you’re getting actual cast metal faucets, not plastic. My largest gripe with this fountain is the positioning of the faucets, they’re way too high in the bowl which leaves you with a substantial amount of cold water at the bottom of the bowl. The high faucets require you to tip the fountain at an angle to drip the last remaining water from the faucet to your cup.

You can alleviate the problems of faucet height by filling the fountain with a good amount of ice and water. In my case, I wanted to use spring water and ice, so wasting the water I paid for doesn’t agree with me, so I tend to skimp on filling the fountain. Had the faucets been lower, it would have been much less annoying. But, the $44 price-tag for a glass fountain with metal faucets doesn’t give me much room for complaint.

If you want to play the economics card, buying an absinthe fountain that’s cheaper than your absinthe is a desirable alternative to costly designs. This fountain shines of practicality with a dual-faucet for functionality.

Today we’re expanding our tools to the cocktail trade by trying Prickly Pear Drink Mixer by Pêra. The Pera Daiquiri is a rum-based drink and we’re using Don Q Cristal rum with a bit of fresh lime and some Margarita Sensations Agave Nectar.

The presentation for this drink gets a 10 on the awesome scale and the well balanced sweet with sour makes it a well built cocktail. If you’re into helping out new companies get their name in the industry, you should checkout the Prickly Pear Drink Mixer and help them out, they’re making a quality mixer and are passionate about their product.

Show links to take a look at:

First, the nose has distinct caramel and sweet brown sugars with a slight alcohol melody. There is a slight bit of chocolate after the caramel blows off wrapped with a beautiful white pepper and pineapple. In total, the bouquet can be summed up as slightly sweet with a spicy candy-like profile. The glass containing a bit of water (and sitting for 10-minutes) brings more chocolate and caramel with only subtle brown sugar and almost no alcoholic scents.

Tasting is my second favorite part and I was expecting some intense oak profile but was given something much more complex. While there is a hint of oak on the attack I’m immediately taken over by a sweet buttery caramel with a chocolate mid-palate and a finish covered in brown sugared pineapples. I detect a slight smokiness on the finish which dissipates to a vanilla and oak as it lingers for a minute or so after the final sip. The mouth-feel of the Don Q Añejo is well rounded, smooth and has a good viscosity to it, impressive. I was happy to see the complexities were not masked by too much oak presence.

My glass containing a slight hint of water brings much more oak to the initial sip which reminds me of a Michael Collins blended Irish whiskey (but a bit more affordable). Even with water, the thickness to this liquid is fully mature and well rounded. I detect a bit more white pepper throughout the mid-palate and finish with a bit more fiery burn upon swallowing the rum. Overall, add water and you’ll get a more lingering oak and up-front caramel; definitely a fun experience.

Don Q Añejo will cost roughly USD $19.99 and, for a five-to-seven year rum, that’s a nice price. You’re getting good value and complexity for the cost. Rum tends to age faster than a whiskey but give you many of those same properties. Because of the region where rum tends to be rested (Puerto Rico and islands surrounding the equator), a five year-old rum is closer to a 12 year-old whiskey but you don’t have to pay the price of aging to get something quality for economic value.

Don Q Añejo is a great tasting experience and, while you can use it in a cocktail, I suggest sitting down and relaxing with a small glass in hand. What do you really have to lose?

The original collins, the way it was done “way back when” in the 1800’s when the big imported product was Genever, before Gin took over. Much has changed but Genever is back and they’re bringing it back with some great tasting recipes. Before you begin, try to get a second strainer to “double strain” this cocktail; if you don’t have a second strainer just use one and call it good.

Also, don’t forget to Buy Haamonii Smooth at D&M

Immediately upon pouring this gold beverage, I received potent scents rising throughout the room. I moved my nose closer to the glass and fresh pineapple with a neat black pepper and honey component built the structure of the bouquet. A deeper sniff brought on some intense alcohols but most of which were melted away with the spicy black pepper.

The iced glass brought on more strength in the pineapple but most other flavors were muted including the alcohols. Sipping the liquids brought on a few nice sensations including a warm caramel attack at the tip of the tongue with a nice black pepper mid-palate transition along with a spicy clean finish. The finish lingers for a minute or two and continues to bring spicy pepper notes. The taste was smooth and inviting with a nice aged thickness worth the USD $15.99.

Yet again I was less impressed with the iced rum alternative, the ice muted many of the spicier notes but brought a crisp refreshingly light flavor of caramel and pineapple. However, most of the flavors happened in the middle of the tongue with little balance on the front and back.The finish wasn’t nearly as interesting as the spice was dulled with the chill of the ice.

Overall, I think Don Q Gold would do a great justice to a cocktail as it brings great black pepper spice to the drink while maintaining a low price point. While it obviously fits into a Daiquiri or Piña Colada, I would be interested to see how it fits in a ginger beer cocktail. If you’re drinking Don Q Gold straight, I suggest staying away from ice and pairing it with a Mexican dish.

The Classic Ice Wine Martini is a twist to a standard vodka martini. This finishes our ice wine segment and gives you yet another ice wine cocktail alernative to those purchasing ice wines in the near future. Besides cocktails, those with a sweet tooth will definitely find joy in ice wine.

Have you tried an Inniskillin ice wine?

Of course, you can mix this spirit into a cocktail, as we will do on Common Man Cocktails but today I’m taste testing this on the rocks (with ice) and neat (room temperature). The nose of the Cristal is very entertaining after you get through the initial sniff of fairly potent ethanol. Once my nose adapted to that attack of the senses it brought along with it a bit of warm butterscotch and a lightly scented chocolate. I caught a bit of pineapple core on the tail end of the nose, not exactly a strong pineapple skin or ripe fruit but a subtle flavoring that required deep examining. On ice I found the scents to be more swayed towards stronger pineapple and a milk chocolate profile.

The taste is even more complex than the bouquet, bringing a pineapple attack on the tip of the tongue with a chocolate and butter mid-palate transition into a butterscotch finish. There is a bit of a mid-palate alcoholic “heat” but it lasts a short period of time and has no offensive flavors; the alcohol is more of a warming sensation than a burn. The viscosity of this silver rum is amazing, it’s so smooth and silky on the tongue, much like the Tommy Bahama White Sands Rum.

The Don Q Cristal costs USD $15.99 which is about six dollars more than some of the mass market rums which only bring a burning sensation of rough alcohols. The additional $6 price seems to bring a well crafted smooth experience in a crystal clear liquid. Creating a clear product out of an aged complex rum is a difficult and expensive process and Don Q has taken care to do what was needed to bring the presentation to the same quality as the liquid itself.

On ice, I find more burn in the finish with muted flavors of chocolate on the initial attack but with a sweet buttery finish. I found the texture to be a bit weaker and thinner when the water begins to melt off into the chilly Don Q Cristal.

Overall, I believe the Don Q Cristal works best served neat or in a cocktail. The nuances and complexities of this spirit are well defined in a product for under USD $20. You’ll struggle to find a comparable product of such quality with such affordability, and in these economic times, there are many places in our cabinets for well crafted affordable rums.

The Hpno Tonic is a pretty little tropical-like shooter. While the drink isn’t full of tropical rum flavoring, it does contain a big punch of 1800 Silver Tequila at 100-Proof and Hpnotiq which reminds me of the tropics in a bottle.

A nice baby blue pousse-café style cocktail (layered) has the prettiness to make it in the most fashionable of cocktail bars with the potency to really shock the monkey.

Also, don’t forget to try Haamonii Smooth Shochu, you can buy it at D&M.

We prepared La Clandestine by louching it with the absinthe fountain we got from AbsintheDevil and left out the sugar and spoon for this spirit: we’re going straight louching with ice water. Prior to bringing the water into the situation, I took a look at the La Clandestine after the pour and it was clear as water, it looked like a blanco tequila. Once I dripped the water into the absinthe glass from our fountain it magically took on a cloudy milk presentation.

The bouquet of the La Clandestine, once louched, is that of a dark candy licorice with subtle yet sweet fennel and star anise. I really didn’t pull many other flavors from this, but everyone in the house thought it smelled like “candy” with that being a general translation for the black licorice present throughout the nose. La Clandestine showed itself as sweet but not as intense sweet as a black jelly bean, but more sweet than bitter or herbal.

The taste fit the scents quite well, bringing lots of fennel action on the initial attack into a sweet mid-palate transition ending with a herbal finish that slightly numbs the tongue and brings no alcoholic heat. Unlike most other absinthe brands I’ve had a chance to taste, I found La Clandestine to be a bit thinner in viscosity, almost a bit too watery in mouthfeel. The finish was more subtle than I had expected with little to no bitterness from the wormwood even when I changed the ratios to two parts water to one part absinthe (originally I tried a four-to-one ratio). When I tried a stronger ratio, one-to-one, I found a lot more alcoholic heat and realized the 3:1 ratio is key in this louche.

Even the nice three-to-one ratio leaves almost no alcohol on the palate, no burn and no offensive taste. This absinthe rings in at a 106 Proof (53% ABV) which is much lighter than other brands I’ve had but I’m not buying it for the potency, I’m buying it for the experiences. For those intense absinthe drinkers that are looking for hardcore flavor attacks will probably find slight disappointment in La Clandestine as it doesn’t overwhelm any senses. On a personal level, I found it to be a little unbalanced from the bite to the sweetness ratio where I received more sweet attacks and less bitter balances. A like a bit more bitter finish but that’s only me, everyone is different.

La Clandestine brings a lot of value and delight to those looking for the less intense absinthe recipes. You’ll get your typical anise and fennel flavors but you won’t have them punch your palate in the face. You’ll find good subtle flavors to give your mouth a chance to work out the profile without being “told” what you should taste; this is one of the most interesting points to a quality spirit. For those that are considering their first absinthe experience La Clandestine is the way to go for those absinthe virgins out there because it will give you a sense of the history of absinthe without tipping those same senses on their head.

While I may find it a bit more tipped in the sweet realm of absinthe, I believe the majority of spirit drinkers and potential cocktail makers will find joy in the La Clandestine brand. You can find La Clandestine for roughly USD $69.99 to $74.99 in stores around the United States and other countries including Canada, Europe and Japan.

The name says it all, Sex on a Mexican Beach. The name is more of a play on the original “Sex on the Beach” recipe becaues of the included juice flavors, however, this cocktail brings in the Tequila spirit to change the beach location to Mexico.

Overall, I find this recipe to be more of a fruitier margarita play more than that of a sex on the beach. If you like margarita’s or hoped for a sweeter play on the margarita, this may be your drink of choice.

The Red Manhattan is a spin on an old classic cocktail recipe with a new style of whiskey: black cherry bourbon. You’ll find the oak and sweetness inviting while at the same time experiencing something a bit different from the normal classic cocktails.

It’s always good to try something new and expand your cocktail palate. You can read our Red Stag review to learn more.

If Bols Genever was imported as a Dutch Gin during the 1800’s, why introduce something to the United States that has been here since 1820? Genever faded away as the spirit of choice by the end of the 1800’s and we all but lost record of its existence here in the United States. Lucas Bols plans to change all that by recovering the original recipe and reinvigorating the public with the taste of Genever once again.

The launch party started with friendly introductions from the Lucas Bols team and we watched a great presentation showing off the rich history of the Genever spirit. We were able to taste such cocktails as The Collins and The Holland House while also having a chance to try some newer cocktails made by the folks at the DRINK. The history behind Bols Genever is reflected in the bottle design as much as it is in the taste. In order to truly appreciate and understand the efforts of Lucas Bols in bringing the recipe back to the spirit community we had to understand its heritage.

The purpose of this launch was to show bartenders, cocktail makers and the press that Bols Genever is coming back into the industry to once again become an international spirit for cocktail making. Recent research suggests that the original “Dutch Gin” was indeed a Genever recipe and the cocktail recipe book The Bartender’s Guide or How To Mix Drinks from 1862 fully utilized this once un-named and unbranded product in many of the most classic recipes.

If you’ve heard of the Sling, Sour or Collins cocktails you’ve had a glimpse into what history suggested in the original cocktail but you may have never had it as it once was created. Genever is required to make the cocktail taste as it did one hundred years ago and many cocktail makers love to re-test the classic styles. Thanks to years of research and renewed interest in the history of such texts we now have the ability to try them in their true form!

My take away from the event was important for my further growth as a cocktail enthusiast: learning new recipes and understanding the tastes of Genever. Of course, Lucas Bols will benefit from my attendance as well because now I must bring this spirit and many of its newly created recipes to light and show them to my audience as well.

Here are a few recipes you can work with today, before I get them online and recorded for Common Man Cocktails.

The Translucent Cocktail
1 ¼ oz. Bols Genever
¼ oz. White Créme de Cacao Liqueur
¾ oz. Kirsch

Stir all the ingredients with ice and strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a genever-soaked cherry, speared.

The Improved Holland Gin Cocktail
2 oz. Bols Genever
1 ½ oz. Rich Sugar Syrup (2 parts sugar: 1 part water)
2 bar spoons Maraschino Liqueur
½ bar spoon Absinthe
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Stir all the ingredients with ice and strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon zest sprayed, rimmed and dropped into the glass.

The Hazelnut Witch, an absinthe recipe that has a very cool cocktail rimmer of graham crackers. The flavors, combined, work well together and create something a bit different than a standard frangelico recipe although the nutty flavors are definitely forward on the palate.

If you’re just getting into absinthe, this is a great cocktail to experiment with as it brings so much more than anise and fennel. Plus, it’s our first time getting a chance to try La Clandestine absinthe!

The Ice Queen, a recipe using a more common ice wine from Canada: Vidal. The vidal grape is a hearty little hybrid that can struggle through the winters more easily which translates to a lower costing ice wine style. In a cocktail, it adds a unique sweetness with hints of apple and pear.

In this cocktail, we’re exploring the fruitiness behind an ice wine cocktail which also has an explosive potent finish thanks to the Tito’s Vodka. Read our Jackson-Triggs review!

Flor de Caña

This Nicaraguan rum has the most unique bouquet out of all the rums I’ve had the opportunity to taste.  Initially I get a heavy caramel smell with a hint of agave and anise which is peculiar. A second sniff I’m getting a slight burn of alcohol along with some white pepper and a few curious minutes later I began to identify the last flavor my nose received: butterscotch. Once I put the rum on ice I received a huge butterscotch attack which was both impressive and unique.

Without ice or water I found this rum to be inviting and thick with an initial butterscotch attack followed by a dark caramel mid-palate transition ending with a black pepper finish. The flavors are extremely inviting and delicious even though the finish has a bit of an alcoholic bite. This alcohol is removed with a couple cubs of ice, the ice also brings through a lot more caramel and butterscotch flavoring while thinning out the spirit slightly.

Overall, Flor de Caña is a unique and flavorful rum experience for under USD $20. You’ll probably find it fits well with a cocktail or mixed with a soda like a rum and coke. The caramel in the rum would work with the coke, even a diet or coke zero branding. If you’re looking for something new to tickle your palate, the five year old Flor de Caña is a great choice.

I poured a glass and found it to be a great golden apple coloring, perhaps like a rich and dark Chardonnay. The wine simply looks rich and delicious upon sight, so let’s move on to the next sense: smell.

The nose of the 2007 Vidal is best summed up as a bright apple pie with a mango twist all arriving on the sweeter side of life. As a desert wine, you’d never expect anything less than a sweet nose but you’ll get some nice tropical flavorings with a dominant apple. It’s not the most exciting bouquet that I’ve had a chance to stuff my nose in, but it’s no slouch either. I was hoping for a few more defined flavors on my third sniff but you can’t complain about a tropical apple, right?

The initial taste, on my palate, was ripe pears mingled with a sweetly roasted apple. I also get a bit of red grape; I find red grapes have a bit more sweet factor than the greener cousins and this wine has that sweet factor all the way to the bank. However, I see the green grape side of life towards the finish because of the nice acidity on the finish that actually makes me salivate.

While this isn’t the thickest ice wine in my collection it is definitely smooth and inviting. The finish leaves a little prickle on the tongue with nothing but a well-balanced sense of sweetness and acids. The Jackson-Triggs 2007 Vidal Ice Wine has one primary feature that requires outlining: acidity. Many ice wines tend to round off the acidity because of the intense sweetness but the Vidal grape holds its sweetness against a lovely acidity which I believe is one of the backbones of the Vidal variety.

If you love a white wine because if its acids and the ability to warm your mouth up to food, this ice wine may do that for you. However, as an after dinner sweet wine, I’d probably suggest you drink this before a moderately sweet dessert to top off the night.

The Purple Hooter is a pretty little shot with well balanced flavors of raspberry and cranberry giving a sweet yet sour taste. This inviting little shooter will make you understand why you purchased that bottle of Chambord.

Why the begging? Because you now have to login to vote! The good news being that you can use a Facebook account to login and vote so, if you can login and give us a thumbs up that would be very kind of you!

Plus, you can watch us create the Blue Long Island cocktail recipe!

The La Bomba cocktail brings back our tequila spirit, this time with Caramba Reposado. The orange flavorings are refreshing, great body and textures without a hugely overwhelming tequila taste. Of course, the elegant look to this cocktail (complete with grenadine) resembles a frozen popcicle which draws humans to the cocktail like flies to a flame.

Checkout our review of Caramba Reposado too.

This user submission is an easy recipe for those with a sweet tooth that want to build up a quick drink after getting home from work or working in the yard. Coke Zero fans will find special joy in this cocktail as we finally get a drink designed for the soda.

The Meloncoli contains midori, coke zero and lime and the low-sweet impact from the coke zero (Coke’s more natural tasting diet alternative) pairs well with the sweeter midori melon.

Okay, I lie, I want to win.

If you’ve got a few seconds, click over to my Howcast Contest Entry and give Common Man Cocktails a thumbs up! It is also a new video recipe, so you can mix that one down if you’d like!

You don’t have to be Shaggy to understand the value of a Scooby Snack. This cocktail introduces Bailey’s once again and brings it along with some midori, pineapple juice and coconut rum. Together, the combination seems slightly odd, but when you drop some whip cream on top and “shake it up” all goes well.

Check all our shows out at everydaydrinkers.tv.

The Inniskillin 2007 Cabernet Franc

The nose of this 2007 Cabernet Franc is that of sweet cranberry fruit cocktail much like the color but continues with smooth pear flavors and sweet red delicious apple slices topped with granny smith apple skins. If you can imagine a bowl full of those fruits you’d probably be spot on with the bouquet of the 2007 Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Ice Wine.

Sipping the ice wine gives an initial burst of pear sweetness with a light apple attack. The mid-palate transition is a creamy semi-sweet pear which brings your palate to a slightly dry fruity apple finish. However, most of the sour bite from the tannins is rounded down by the smooth textures and sweet fruits.

The finish is long and fruity with dancing pears and apples with a smooth gentle viscosity that forces you to take yet another sip. Luckily, the 375ml bottle is only 9.5% ABV, so you’ll be able to take many long seductive sips without fear of overwhelming your senses with alcohol.

Like most ice wines, this wine would go great as an after dinner drink. Most folks will find the slight sour tannins at the tail end of the taste to be intriguing for an ice wine. However, the flavors and fruits come at a price of USD $90.00 for the 375ml bottle because Cabernet Franc is a rare ice wine, having to survive the freezing temperature of winter.

Rare wines are some of the most enjoyable to experience. I feel special being able to say I had a bottle.

We’re tasting another ice wine cocktail but this time we’ve invented our own: Common Man’s Frozen Cherry. This is great for those experimenting with ice wines for the first time as it uses a full 1 oz. measure and keeps its structure throughout the cocktail. While this cocktail is super sweet, ice wine fans are used to such sweetness given the natural properties of an ice wine.

However, we’ve balanced it out with a slight bit of sour cranberry juice. You can substitute the Inniskillan Cabernet Franc for something a bit less expensive if you’re still testing the waters with ice wine.

First, the color has to be mentioned in Caramba Extra Añejo because it’s so dark and copper toned much like a freshly polished copper pipping. The color seems to have taken on the properties of a bourbon whiskey. Compared to a standard Añejo, this is much more deep and dark in coloring which shows the barrel aging has been working wonders on the presentation.

Moving on to the nose; my initial impression is that of a caramel agave. The Caramba Extra Añejo exhibits a very familiar bouquet, a bourbon-style vanilla profile. I went in for a long deep sniff and received a potent alcoholic punch showing me this spirit has a good amount of power to it that needs to be respected. Unlike a Scotch Whisky, the nose doesn’t present smokey properties and follows more of a American Kentucky straight bourbon with a sweetness that made me salivate a bit after a few more sniffs.

Tasting the Caramba Extra Añejo is a fun experience to say the least. The thick viscosity was impressive. Upon this thickness rode a nice black pepper spice which ran across my cheeks and down the flat of my tongue with a predominance towards the front sweeter tip. This followed with a buttery agave mid-palate transition and a very sensually silk finish that leaves a long creamy oak behind for minutes after the sip.

The mouth feel matches that of a whiskey five times older but requiring much less time to mature to such a level of taste. Ironically, the mouth feel and nose reminded me of a straight bourbon but the taste didn’t give me any other bourbon attributes. The Caramba Extra Añejo does not burn as it goes down, remaining smooth with a clean finish throughout the tasting experience.

After my initial tastings I added a bit of room temperature spring water to the extra añejo to see what else I could work out of the glass. I received a much stronger oak and vanilla flavoring than prior, the finish was slightly lighter and the agave was a bit more pronounced. Oddly enough, I never received any real chocolate notes, which I almost expected going into the tasting.

The Caramba Extra Añejo makes a great complex sipping Tequila. In many ways, I’ve found this extra añejo to go far beyond a standard tequila, almost becoming its own spirit. It seems this tequila has adopted properties from a whiskey, perhaps through using whiskey barrels to age the tequila yet it doesn’t lose its own identity in the process.

You can expect to pay roughly USD $99.99 for a bottle of Caramba Extra Añejo and receive a well crafted sipping experience. If you’re looking to bring a well aged tequila into your home and try an extra añejo with a reasonable price, Caramba is a good choice. Other extra añejo alternatives may run you USD $300+ for such an aged tequila.

Today we get a little “barbaric” with the Flaming Dr. Pepper. This is a “cocktail” of sorts and usually gets pulled out at bars when people have begun to lose proper decision making. It is, however, a great way to compliment a beer at the table with friends.

It’s time to get crazy!!

A true tropical beverage is not complete without the use of rum. The Kryptonite cocktail contains a lot of unique rums to give plenty of dimension to this green little drink. We’re using some Captain Morgan private stock again, so get out your bottles! ARG!

This would be a great drink for pirates because it’s got a lot of nice rums. Of course, I cannot imagine a pirate drinking a green cocktail…

Damn right your dad drank it, Canadian Club has a rich history at a good price point with a willingness to sit down with us and teach us the ways of whiskey.

Our first ice wine cocktail using Inniskillin 2007 Riesling known as the Tantric Kiss. This cocktail is a super sweet style cocktail using our new sponsor, Haamonii Smooth Shochu instead of vodka along with some pinapple and cranberry juice and a little bit of peach schnapps.

You can buy Haamonii Shochu at D&M.com.

This week begins with the Michael Collins Dublin Apple, a recipe I found in the Michael Collins recipe book and it sounded tasty. I was intrigued by the whiskey and sour apple ingredients being mixed together and wanted to know if it really could work: it can.

This brings a new flavor to the standard whiskey style cocktails such as the manhattan without being over-the-top.

The bouquet is a potent agave with a sweet nectar-like flavor near the tail end of my initial sniff. Taking a deeper sniff continues the strong agave but uncovers a hidden white pepper scent with a pineapple skin wrapping. If you take just one breath and smell, you’ll probably miss some of the more subtle hints that make the best of the bouquet.

The taste of the Caramba Reposado was well received on my palate. Bright spiciness right on the front attack with a mid-palate sweetness of agave nectar and a light caramel finish that’s subtle and clean. The finish is a bit short, lasting about 20-seconds but was good while it lasted. I would have loved it to linger for about 30-seconds more if possible.

The liquid has a good viscosity with good smooth and inviting flavors mixed with the peppery spice not too unfamiliar to me in a good reposado tequila. When put on ice, I’m experiencing another style of spirit all together.  On the ice you’ll reduce the sweetness and bring up the agave, and spice. The chill also seems to bring out an oak, it makes me think of an Irish Whiskey at first sniff, which was not expected at all. It is as if the ice and its dissolved water seems to bring out a bit more of the maturity of the liquid.

Overall, a solid tasting experience that goes above your standard tequila. I also had the opportunity to consume a few margarita’s with some friends using the Caramba reposado. A few folks thought it was a bit “strong” on flavor but within a few minutes they were asking for a second glass. What some people experience as strong is their palate warming up to the idea of the alcohols and that attack fades upon the third sip.

First, you’ll notice the nose is subtle, lightly sweet with a subtle chocolate-like flavoring along with some lime and light caramel flavors. The yeast flavoring of the Saké keeps your senses tuned to a typical Saké profile but the additional complexities in the nose make it inviting. Those new to Saké will need to first adapt to its aromas to start looking for the more subtle flavorings.

Tasting the Horin chilled is our first attack on the liquid. The taste is sweet yet acidic and light with a slight burn in the finish even while chilled. The burning sensation makes sense considering the 15% alcohol by volume within the Horin Junmai Daiginjo – take it slow or you could get a bit tipsy. The sweetness of the attack leads into a yeasty acidic mid-palate to a dry alcohol finish. Taking a quick breath after the sip leaves me with a pear and melon-like aftertaste.

Taking an opportunity to try Horin at room temperature was interesting as it toned down on the sweet factor while bringing up the alcohols on the finish. Overall, most of the flavors are retained or amplified at room temperature and this is extremely important if you believe you’re drinking a higher end product. Warm temperatures will bring out imperfections easily and Horin isn’t showing any imperfections on my palate.

If you’ve never had a chance to explore Saké you should give Gekkeikan Horin Junmai Daiginjo a taste. A 720ml bottle will cost roughly USD $30 so make sure you’re willing to explore the Saké before you buy it. This may change your perspective on some of the cheaper brews sold at some restaurants around the United States.

Still want more? Listen to our Saké podcast episode!

The 2007 Inniskillin Riesling pours a rich golden “apple juice” style coloring. I can smell the sweetness before even putting the glass to my nose. For those that don’t already know, an ice wine is a sweet desert wine made from grapes pressed after the first frost. This causes the wine to become extremely concentrated in sweet taste and maintains a fairly high cost as it’s difficult for vineyards to be given the perfect opportunity to harvest an ice wine; conditions must be favorable and frosty.

The nose of the ice wine is sweet and rich with a huge delicious factor; you want to stuff your nose right in and enjoy all its flavors. But, resisting a nose dipping, I continued to look for some scents past that of the sweetness. I found some juicy sugary apple cider notes with a mixing of pear and apricots but it was difficult to get past the sweets.

To the tongue, Inniskillin’s 2007 Riesling has a super sweet attack on the tongue with a thick and smooth viscosity. The mid-palate transition continues the sweet cider with a subtle citrus and lime flavoring. The finish is the most complex of tastes, while there is a slight ‘heat’ from the alcohols (even when chilled) the tail end contains a good bite of sour apples with lingering lime. The sweetness follows into the finish but balances with the bite adding a great elegance to the end of the sip.

The complex finish makes you savor for a second sip, then a third and a fourth leading you to an empty glass. Some ice wine varieties have a super sweet finish which leaves you wondering what else it brings to the table. No doubt, this wine brings a lot more sweetness and deliciousness above-and-beyond other brands that I’ve tasted but the additional flavors give you something to look for in the sip beyond sugar.

The Inniskillin 2007 Riesling Ice Wine isn’t cheap, you’ll probably find a 375ml bottle in the range of USD $60 to USD $80 but ice wine lovers won’t blink at the cost, considering it’s not unusual to spend USD $50+ for a good Canadian ice wine and usually more for a German Eiswein.

We’ve never met the elusive Beach Bum Bob, but hear he’s a nice guy. Each portion is equally controlled to exactly 1 oz and they mix into a nice coffee alternative or supplement. I’d suggest this as an after-dinner drink rather than something to sip after a hot day of mowing the lawn, but equally as glorious.

We’re using some more Cruzan coconut rum, kahluá, cream, amaretto and vanilla vodka (three olives). I know some folks have requested more amaretto recipes so hopefully this one helps out. We’ll tackle frangelico again soon too (another highly requested spirit).

Thanks to John for the great recipe!