Belgian Owl Whisky – From Owlet To Full Grown Raptor
I first tried Belgian Owl whisky, a single malt from, you guessed it, Belgium, in 2012. It was in a restaurant in San Francisco. The US Open golf was on at the Olympic Club, and I was with the marketing team from Rolex who had suggested that particular spot...
Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin – Review
No, you’re not going to get a whiff of cordite from this delightful Irish gin. The name comes from the Gunpowder tea with which it’s infused. What you will get on the initial nose is a lovely light floral note, followed by sweet and sour citrus notes. Think of...
Death in the afternoon – guilt free daytime drinking
Sundays used to be simple. Afternoons called for a beer. Or if adventure beckoned, a Bloody Mary. One Los Angeles bar I frequented in my youth made their Bloody Marys with beer. Which might explain why it no longer exists. But those were the choices a man needed to...
Kamet Single Malt – Himalayan Origin, Mountainous Ambition
To add to the single malt whiskies from India we already have, a new label, Kamet Single Malt, joins their ranks on bar shelves. Peak Spirits, which introduced their gin to world markets earlier, has tied up with Picadilly Distillery to produce a whisky named after the third highest...
Arran Sauternes Cask Finish – Review
It’s hard not to think of sauternes cask finishes as anything but an after dinner drink, sipped in a pairing with dessert. Arran’s offering, perhaps because it’s bottled at 50 percent, brings a bit more of a kick to the table than you’d expect. Nose: An immediate hit of...
That One Perfect Drink
“Where’s the bubbly?” asks one of my guests. It is, after all, a milestone anniversary. Which has me wondering why we have such stereotypes about the drinks we consider special. Take champagne. Since every two-bit, trumped up, tax dodger in the world orders it by the bucket in nightclubs,...
Cocktail Craziness
“Can I get you a cocktail,” asks the bartender at a new watering hole, putting a menu in front of me. I look askance at him. What kind of place asks if you want a cocktail for pity’s sake? Ask me if I want a drink, and I’ll answer...
Bar Basics
Life used to be so simple. We were young. We had a bar at home. It was called the refrigerator. A perfectly handy device used to store beer and left-over pizza. When friends visited, we’d offer them a drink. Pop the cap. And hand over the bottle. Glasses were...