A kickoff of a larger series designed to talk about the elements in your spirits that make them taste the way we do. Today, we start with peat, which to many is synonymous with scotch itself.
There's a concept in economics called "close substitution." Exploring the concept, I have a better grasp of why I love some bottles and am downright pissed off by others.
Just as it took me some time to appreciate tasting spirits in general, it took me a similar amount of time to be able to appreciate the simplicity and vibrancy of the highball. Now, I make this two-ingredient cocktail often.
So after part 1 and 2, let me say again that Independent Bottlings of spirits like Scotch, Rum, and Bourbon can be great. That said, I have some pretty strong feelings about why I'm not going to cover them.
When we talk about "Rye Whiskey," you might initially think that the category were as simple as including all whiskeys made from Rye. Ha! If only life were that simple.
To spoil the ending: no. However, a specific whiskey you enjoy today may not be around tomorrow, or at least around at the same price. I wouldn't lose sleep over it.
Mezcal has been too-long considered a smokey, second-rate tequila. Thankfully, the spirit category is (deservedly) finding a place in the sun. And worry not: it's a rarity to find a worm at the bottom of a good bottle.
Collecting and trying new things is fun. However, you may find that you buy more bottles then you actually drink, and then WHAM: home bar. And there's a psychological reason for it, y'know.
The second of a three-part run down on Independent Bottlings, or "IBs" for those in the know. Should you get them? Yes.
Constantly underappreciated, liquor miniatures actually have quite a lot going for them beyond novelty. I'll do my best to explain why a few of these often sneak their way home from the local bottle shop.
The first of a planned three-parter. You might not have ever heard of an Independent Bottling, or might have seen one out of the corner of your eye, unsure of what it was. Let's crack into the "what" for today before we talk about the "why" later.
It is true that a good bottle of anything doesn't necessarily go hand-in-hand with the amount you spend. However, there are a few things I come to expect as I begin to spend progressively more money on any individual product.
You can't age a spirit without putting it in a barrel made of wood. And yet, not all wood is created equally in the aging process! Grab a seat and I'll share a few odds and ends.
Brandies, armagnacs, cognacs? If you're unsure of differences among the terminology, or wondering if you're missing anything with respect to the category as a whole, make with the clicking.
Maybe the Manhattan is a very distant second in the "most famous cocktail" competition. However, it's a good drink, and one that lends itself very well to revitalization and experimentation.
Everyone likes Mojitos, it seems. However, I've had enough underwhelming Mojitos at restaurants to convince me I needed to learn how to make them the right way.
Our first entry in our Classic Cocktail series begins with the Martini, the most classic of them all. We'll teach you how to make a few great ones.
Rating things is easy. Rating things sensibly and consistently is an entirely different can of worms, and one that merits at least a little bit of discussion here on the site.
Flavored spirits are popular, but you're not going to find too much written about them here. The short answer is that most of them are terrible, but a longer answer lurks inside.
Tequila is a pretty fascinating spirit category that I didn't think would be "my thing." Suddenly, here we are, with me liking quite a lot of it. Let me see if I can sell you on it.