RECENT POSTS…
Misty Zest
If the Misty Zest bottles had just been another new product from one of the industry's big players at some spirits or bar trade show in Germany, I'll be honest: I probably wouldn't have given them a second thought as I walked by the stand. But when Perola recently asked me if I'd be interested in having them sent to me for a "test", two key facts - without even considering the contents of the bottles - immediately caught my attention. […]
Herz, Basel
For a city of its size, Basel has its own unique history and quite a lot of bars, restaurants and cafes to discover that are worth recognizing beyond the German speaking countries. Zürich has featured in Robin's travels and the corresponding articles that I highly recommend, so now I want to take a look at Switzerland's 'Rhine Land'. […]
Arrowhead Limited
A lovely long drink - dark, bitter, yet tart and refreshing. Sparkling and aromatic, with notes of bitter orange, dried cherries, Mediterranean herbs, smoke, and dried agave, as well as tart hops. As always, I went with a 1:1 ratio for the filler (the IPA), and it was really good this way - though it's definitely one of the most intense long drinks I've had in recent years. […]
IPA / Sweet Vermouth / Mezcal / Campari
Prime Directive
Star Trek sends its regards. Liquor.com describes it as "light" and "herbal". I have a hard time agreeing with the "light" part. Yes, vermouth does lend a certain lightness to drinks. Here, though, it's more like a sweeter martini - it has a certain heft to it, but at least it comes with nice, fresh notes in addition to that. […]
Plymouth Gin / Bianco Vermouth / Bénédictine D.O.M. / Aromatic Bitters
Sins Of Sal, Amsterdam
We are back with more openings of the last few years from Amsterdam that caught the attention of the bar world (and already a respectable line-up of guest shifts, our favorite Barro Negro among them). After Advocatuur we are now looking at Sins of Sal, a playful and fun journey with a focus on Central and South American flavors. Easy enough to find, Sins of Sal is not a speakeasy, but the dark, red-tinted interiors speak more for it than the first impression from the outside. […]
Neutral Ground
An elegant, smooth drink in the vein of a Manhattan or Bobby Burns, featuring a wonderful combination of dry sherry and the brilliant, aromatic herbal liqueur.
Spicy, sweet, dry, nutty, honey, rye - simply delicious. […]
Rye / Amontillado Sherry / Bénédictine D.O.M. / Orange Bitters