Cocktails Introducing the “It’s 5 O’Clock Here” Cocktail Video Series One evening in late March, I made my partner a Manhattan and myself an Old Fashioned and for whatever reason, I decided to film it and post it on Instagram. The reception was better than I expected, so I filmed step-by-step recipes and educational mixology sessions with some frequency.
Bourbon Whiskey Reviews Wolf Moon Bourbon Review It isn’t harsh, which is good for a 4 year old, but that’s likely due to the low proof. Wolf Moon is best suited for sipping while hanging around and burning it down, and you don’t want to sip on any Jack Daniels.
Bourbon Whiskey Reviews Blue Run Bourbon Review The price is a tough sell for me but the bourbon itself is exceptional. It certainly reminds me of one of my all-time favorite expressions (Elijah Craig) and when I had my boyfriend taste it he asked, “Is this Elijah Craig?”
Banter Jefferson’s Ocean Spray Bourbon Review Jefferson’s has done it again and just in time for the holidays! Never was there a more perfect release that pairs perfectly with Thanksgiving dinner. The gentle tartness of the palate will blend perfectly with the salinity of a well-brined turkey, and especially one with a crisp, fried skin.
Cocktails Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. Old Fashioned Syrup As a long-time DC denizen, I was thrilled to try a new product from a local, woman-owned business: Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. They focus on crafting Pre-Prohibition-style cocktail syrups (so don’t be mixing with any vodka!), hand-crafted right up the road from me in the Edgewood neighborhood of DC.
Cocktails Snowy River Cocktails: Accessorize Your Cocktail Snowy River Cocktails prides themselves on producing “an award-winning line of all-natural cocktail decorating products.” These products range from rimming salts and sugars, beverage colorings and flavors, cocktail glitter, and syrups.
Bourbon Whiskey Reviews The Ultimate Guide to the 2020 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection It’s that time of year again: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection season! Buffalo Trace just released this year’s lineup and the secondary market is already getting extra thirsty. Lines will be formed, lotteries entered, and many dollars shelled out.
Gin Reviews Marlow Rows Gin Review Chief Distiller Andy McLain does not sound like he grew up in the United Kingdom. His accent is unmistakably from “can’t put your finger on it” Middle America.
Bourbon Whiskey Reviews Weller Single Barrel Bourbon Review As the press release says, Weller fans have been jonesing (Jonestowning?) for a single barrel version. What the press release didn’t say is how many of these fans are already lining up to sell their extra kidney to be sure to secure a bottle on the secondary market.
Banter Kentucky Barrel Pick Trip Recap – Day 1 Almost two years to the day after the B&B team traveled to Kentucky to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of Bourbon & Banter, we got the band back together to do it again. There were a few team members that were able to make the trip again and there were some new faces that were able to join.
Gin Reviews Wonderbird Spirits Gin Review This gin would be excellent sipped with an ice cube and a lemon peel expressed over the top. With its heavy lemon notes, it goes very well with anything peppery or lemony. I tried it neat, on ice, and in a gin and tonic with a few pink peppercorns.
Bourbon Whiskey Reviews Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review The older bourbon succumbs to the unbridled alcohol of the younger whiskies in the blend. Upon first sniff, this completely singed my nose hairs, which is a highly unpleasant feeling and one that doesn’t make you eager to subject your delicate tastebuds to.
Bourbon Whiskey Reviews Bardstown Bourbon Company Phifer Pavitt Reserve Collaborative Series #1 Review Overall, I am big fan of finished “bourbons.” I will admit that before tasting this, I have paid $125 for a 10-year MGP bourbon finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels for 6 months finished and bottled from a place in California. It is very, very good.
Bottled Cocktails Stolen X Rock & Rye Review I am always wary of any brands that market themselves as being best as a shot (aka: reducing the time you have to actually taste it). Liquors that are designed to have as little booze flavor as possible to minimize the displeasure of delivering alcohol quickly to the blood stream are all the same.
Bourbon Whiskey Reviews Bardstown Bourbon Company: Fusion Series #1 Review The Bardstown Bourbon Company bills themselves as the first Napa Valley style destination on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The Bardstown Bourbon Fusion Series #1 represents the distillery’s first Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and is a collaboration of their distillery, beverage and culinary teams.
Cocktails Vermouth Routin Original Rouge: Your Cocktail’s Next Best Friend know you came here to read about whiskey but when discussing whiskey-based cocktails the lead spirit isn’t always the most important player. This is never truer than when discussing Vermouth. The type of Vermouth you use in a cocktail can either sink it into disaster or elevate it to greatness.
Gin Reviews Copper & Kings American Dry Gin Review To me, summer is gin season. There is nothing like a tall, ice-cold gin and tonic on a hot, humid day. The botanicals bring a brightness to the palate that provide just as much of a cooling sensation as the ice.
Bourbon News Coopers’ Craft Finds Itself in Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve A few years ago, I wrote that Coopers’ Craft – a new lower proof bourbon to hit the market out of Brown Forman – was experiencing a bit of an identity crisis.
Banter 12 Dumbest Drinking Laws Across Our Great Nation As my grandmother taught me: one should never discuss sex, politics, or religion at the dinner table. These days, it seems politics are nearly unavoidable (especially when you have one relative who leans against the grain of the rest of the family) so what are we supposed to discuss?
Banter The Embassy Series: Mekhong – Thailand’s Native Spirit For this month’s installment of my international series, I looked a bit closer to home. Just around the corner from my house sits BKK Cookshop, a restaurant focused on Thai-style street food. This tiny neighborhood kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants in DC.
Book Reviews Deep Tasting Chocolate & Whiskey Book Review It is clear from the first few pages, that R. M. Peluso knows her chocolate. An accomplished chocolate reviewer (yes, you read that correctly – what a spectacular hobby), Peluso embarks upon a nearly spiritual journey through how to properly taste chocolate.
Banter The Embassy Series: Chacha – Georgia’s Native Spirit Who we are is largely defined by where we come from. Traditions, cultural norms, and language all contribute to how each of us perceive and experience the world. But tying all of these together is the significant impact that geography has on shaping culture.
Banter The Embassy Series: A Journey Through the World’s Native Spirits On May 4, 1964, the United States Congress passed legislation that we can all agree was a wise move: the designation of Bourbon Whiskey as a uniquely American product and our country’s native spirit.
Cocktails Starry Wisdom: The Bourbon Lover’s Halloween Cocktail While visiting Lexington, KY recently, I had the pleasure of stopping into the West Main Crafting Co., a fresh new addition to the Bluegrass cocktail scene. The drink menu is gorgeous and is presented in a beautiful, bound book with vivid photos of each creation.
Banter Reimagining Wild Turkey’s Ad Campaign A few weeks ago, Wild Turkey/Campari released the second installment in the tenure of Matthew McConaughey’s Creative Directorship.
