June 27, 2011
I love the look of these bottles. No idea what the tequila tastes like, but I'll add it to the list of things that I need to track down. Here's some of the details:
Handcrafted with 100% pure Blue Agave, Espolon Premium Tequila celebrates real Mexico and its storied culture through classic 19th Century artistry and the iconic rooster, a symbol of national pride.
Super premium 100% pure Blue Agave tequila crafted at the acclaimed San Nicolas distillery. Our state-of-the-art facility, located in the Los Altos (Highlands) region of Jalisco, is recognized as the "Best Factory in Mexico".
Master Distiller, Cirilo Oropeza, has a passion for perfecting this spirit and brings decades of expertise to Espolon
We favor craftsmanship over mass production – to extract more rich, intense flavors, we cool our pinas for 18 to 20 hours (versus the industry average of 12) and distilling process lats 5 1/2 hours (versus the industry average of 3 1/2).
You can read more about it HERE.
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May 27, 2011
I'm more of a Jack fan, but I'll have to give this a try. Here's a little bit about it from the Jim Beam site:
As bourbon ages, a portion of the liquid is lost from the barrel due to evaporation—that's the "Angel's Share." After aging, when the bourbon is dumped out of the barrel, a certain amount of whiskey is left trapped within the wood of every barrel.
We call that the "devil's cut."
To create Jim Beam® Devil's Cut™, an extraordinary new bourbon experience, we developed a proprietary process that actually pulls the rich whiskey trapped inside the barrels' wood after they're emptied. We hold this barrel-treated extract until it develops the proper balance of bourbon notes, then blend it with 6 year old bourbon and bottle at 90 proof. The result: a robust, premium bourbon with deep color, aroma and character.
The Essence – A distinctly bold bourbon with rich flavor unleashed from deep inside the barrel wood.
The Taste – Full bodied with intense oak and vanilla notes.
The Finish – Long, smooth, with a hint of sweetness.
Not sure if this is already available or not, but as soon as it is, I'm sure you should be able to find it at your local liquor store. If you'd like to read more about it, you can head on over to the Jim Beam site HERE.
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May 25, 2011
I'd love to track down a bar that has a bottle of this, even though it would still cost way to much for a glass. A bottle of this is currently running for over $1000 USD. Here's the details:
Black Tot – Last Consignment is a unique rum that represents over 300 years of Royal Naval Tradition.
It is effectively, a piece of history. Since 1970 the rum has sat silently in ceramic flagons in bonded warehouses, and was only brought out for State occasions and Royal weddings.
The flagons have been brought together from all different locations for the first release of the last consignment. The first bottling is estimated to be 7,000 bottles and will now be available to buy as collectors items, or simply to savour.
The name ‘Black Tot’ stems from July 31st 1970 when a 300 year-old Royal Naval tradition ended at precisely 6 bells in the forenoon watch (11am) when the last rum ration was issued aboard ships of the British Royal Navy – a day to be forever remembered as Black Tot Day.
Forty years on and, as a mark of respect to this wonderful tradition, Speciality Drinks have decided to release the last remaining Royal Naval rum stocks from 1970. This last consignment of the original rum has been bottled from the original imperial gallon stone flagons into which it has been filled and sealed under HM Customs & Excise supervision in December 1970.
The bottles are presented beautifully in a traditional glass rum bottle and sealed with black wax. It is stored in a black walnut box with a brass plaque and a certificate of authenticity. It also comes with a tot cup, typical of those used to carry out rum rations all those years ago made of copper, and lined with silver.
Limited edition Black Tot – Last Consignment rum will be officially released on the 31st July 2010 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Black Tot Day. It will retail for £600 per bottle.
Tasting Notes by Dave Broom
"The Colour – Bright, yet deep mahogany cut with flashes of ruby.
The Nose – Initial treacle notes precede dark chocolate with super-ripe black fruits, muscovado sugar adn walnuts. A drop of water releases notes of black banana, liquorice root, tamarind paste with and exotic edge of balsamic.
The Palate – Starts off thick and sweet, becoming light and oaky before a burst of cassis / creme de mures then espresso & cacao.
The Finish – Very long with light scented wood, black fruits and cigar tobacco.
The Strength – Remarkably, after 40 years Black Tot will be introduced at 54.3% (94.2° proof), almost exactly original issuing strength."
You can read more about it HERE.
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April 26, 2011
Pretty cool looking decanter. Nothing all that special about it, but the monogram is nice.
Here's the details:
Get rid of those unsightly liquor bottles on your counter-top, and replace them with this handsome personalized liquor decanter. A refined way to serve and store your scotch, bourbon, whiskey, or other spirits, this whiskey decanter features a heavy weighted base for stability and comes personalized with an embossed pewter crest in your choice of initial to complete the distinguished look. (Think of the personalization possibilities, either the initial of your last name or loved one, or you could do S for Scotch, W for Whisky, T for Tequila…well you get the picture!) The more sophisticated way to serve happy hour, our Burlington personalized decanter holds 23½oz and measures 10½” tall. Price Includes liquor decanter and all personalization.
You can grab one for $32 over at the Home Wet Bar site HERE.
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April 1, 2011
I really want some of this. It's just such a weird idea that I need to try it. Here's the details:
GATLINBURG, TN (March 22, 2011) – Ah… the smell of Grandma’s apple pie cooling on the windowsill, nothing quite like it….or a visit to the apple orchard with heavy cinnamon scents wafting through the air at every turn providing a warm and cozy feeling unlike any other. Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine has found a way to bottle that experience and is proud to announce the launch of Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine.
Made of the same delicious combination of flavors – pure apple juice, ground cinnamon and other spices – blended with our homemade moonshine (to give it a little zing!), Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine, at 40 proof, is very drinkable and goes down as easy as a forkful of sweet apple pie. Some like it cold, some like it hot…personally we like it straight out of a mason jar. Apple Pie Moonshine: two great tastes of Americana that taste great together.
Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine is available in the same traditional 750 ml mason jars as other Ole Smoky products, is sold online at www.olesmokymoonshine.com and currently ships to retail stores in seven states (Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee) and, in light of growing demand, expects to be in close to 25 states by this summer and potentially all 50 by next year.
When the state of Tennessee changed its laws in July 2009, allowing the licensed production of whiskey and other spirits across new counties, a group of local families saw an opportunity to showcase the art of superior, mountain-made moonshine. Ole Smoky Moonshine, the first-ever legal moonshine in Tennessee, is a line of authentic products made from family recipes passed down through generations by inhabitants of the Great Smoky Mountains region of Appalachia.
Packaged in traditional Mason jars, Ole Smoky flagship products include Original Unaged Corn Whiskey (100 proof “sippin’ moonshine”), White Lightnin’ (100 proof “mixin’ moonshine”), and Moonshine Cherries (fresh maraschino cherries soaked in 100-proof moonshine). Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine is based in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Visit the Ole Smoky Distillery online at www.olesmokymoonshine.com.
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March 31, 2011
No idea if this opened up recently, or it's been around for years. All I know is that I'm upset that I didn't hit this place last time I was in Vegas. Here's the details:
Upstairs from Andre's Restaurant is the famed Cigar & Cognac Lounge, a world of intimate lighting, rich leather, the glow of the fireplace capturing a glint of amber cognac in a glass and the seductive aroma of fine cigars. If it seems like we're hamming it up a bit, let us assure you it's for good reason.
Recognized by Santé as an "Outstanding Restaurant Bar," the Lounge boasts a jaw-dropping selection of rare Cognacs and Armagnacs in stunning bottles—some from as early as 1802. The adjacent wine cellar houses 15,000 vintages that have been honored with the prestigious Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator.
So settle in by the fire with your drink, and choose from an impressive array of fine imported cigars. For the ultimate experience, let us recommend the perfect Cognac and cigar pairing. It's the perfect way to cap off your dinner at Andre's, a show in the Monte Carlo Theatre, or to simply wind down before turning in for the evening.
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
You can make reservations at the Monte Carlo site HERE.
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March 30, 2011
I'm not sure how I feel about this. If I hadn't read about it everywhere, i would have guessed, and maybe hoped, that it was just an interesting photoshop job. For me, you just shouldn't mess with something that as perfect as Jack is. There's just something wrong about that to me.
Regardless, it's here, so you might be able to find it on shelves already, or sometime soon. The mix is pretty much exactly what you think, in that they take regular Jack whiskey and mix in a honey liqueur.
I might give it a shot at some point, just out of curiosity, but that's about it. If you can find it, it should run you around $22 a bottle.
You can hit the Jack Daniel's site HERE, and look around.
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March 16, 2011
This sounds pretty impressive, but I really wonder if any of the interesting things about the distillation process actually add to the taste, or just sounds cool. I'll add this to the super long list of things I need to track down and try.
Here's the details about it form the general press release:
Ron Zacapa® Centenario from Guatemala is a rum of impeccable quality and complexity and is regarded as one of the finest in the world. The story of ultra-premium Zacapa starts literally from the ground up. From the sugar cane of the volcano-shadowed lowlands, to an ageing process which takes place 2300 meters above sea level, each aspect of production takes place under the watchful eye of Master Blender Lorena Vásquez. There are two varieties of Zacapa: delicate and complex Zacapa 23 and expressive and balanced Zacapa XO. While Zacapa 23 is best enjoyed neat or over one large ice cube, Zacapa XO is at its’ best neat in the signature Riedel Zacapa glass.
The tropical climate and lowland volcanic soil of Guatemala yield an ultra-high grade sugar cane and, unlike most rums that use molasses, Zacapa is created from the concentrated first pressing of sugar cane or ‘virgin sugar cane honey', which contributes to its award-winning taste.
Aged and blended in the mountains at a location romantically known as the ‘House Above the Clouds’, the cool air slows ageing, allowing Zacapa time to rest and develop its profound character. However, altitude alone is not enough to produce the deep and complex flavour of Zacapa.
A perfectionist at heart, passionate about rum and devoted to her craft, Lorena Vásquez uses a unique Sistema Solera ageing process to produce Zacapa. Based on a centuries-old Spanish method of ageing sherries, rums of different ages are slowly blended in a sequence of barrels which previously held American whiskies, sweet sherries and fine Pedro Ximenez wines. For Zacapa XO, a final ageing stage occurs in French cognac barrels. The rums are also rested in once re-charred American white oak barrels, to impart additional character from the wood.
Depending on the variety, ageing takes between 6 and 25 years, and it’s well worth the wait. As Lorena Vásquez explains, ‘By slowly ageing our rums at altitude and using the complex Sistema Solera, we allow the rum and the wood sufficient time to exchange their individual virtues, resulting in the incredible profile and depth that define Zacapa.’
Inexorably linked to Guatemala’s history and culture, the final touch in the production process is the hand-made woven band crafted from dried palm leaves, or petate, which wraps every bottle. Meticulously produced by highly skilled local craftswomen, petate is an art which has been perfected by the Mayan people since 1400 BC and is the embodiment of the
quality and provenance which characterizes Zacapa rum.
You can hit the main site to check it out HERE.
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March 15, 2011
When I first hit the site and saw this, I figured that there would be maybe 10 or 20 different whiskies if I was lucky. I was incredibly surprised that there looks to be over 200. They run from around $3 to $4, up to the more rare ones, like the Glenfarclas 1952 Family Cask that will set you back around $130. All of these are just 1 ounce, but if you're looking for something unique, expensive, or just want to taste ten different brands for the prices of a single bottle, this is a great idea. Here's a little detail from the site:
There’s one question we get asked all the time: “do you do samples?” Well, we’ve come up with just the thing… We’ve taken bottles of whisky and divided them up into 3cl (30ml) samples and naturally these are just a fraction of the price of full sized bottles. We’ll be continually expanding the range of samples (drams) and we aim to eventually offer you a dram of every whisky in production. Now you can enjoy 3cl scotch whisky samples for a fraction of the price of a bottle!
You can look through all 15 pages of samples over at the Master of Malt site HERE.
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March 10, 2011
Love this idea. Since it's refillable, it's also a great addition to any bar. Here's the details:
Want to create the ultimate dry martini? This vermouth atomizer makes it easy.
The secret to crafting your perfect cocktail is simply to make sure that you don’t add too much vermouth. When you use this specialized vermouth sprayer, you get an ideal measure with an ultra-fine mist that coats your glass.
Features
* Stainless steel refillable canister
* Provides a very fine mist of vermouth
* Ideal for dry martinis
* Included funnel for easy filling
* Attractive pouch conveniently holds the atomizer and funnel
It costs $15, and you can grab one HERE.
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