Cocktail Hacker

Let’s get something very clear. I’m not a reader of Cosmo. But, that said, I did have a subscription to Maxim for a couple years and, let’s face it, you remove the gender slant and they’re really the same thing. So, when my review copy of Cosmo’s Official Cocktail Book arrived I tore into it in search of the lost secrets of how to please my man and get him liquored up in the process (wait a sec…). What I found was a pretty good collection of cocktails and some fun stuff thrown in for kicks.

The recipes in Cosmo’s book, not surprisingly, lean toward the sweet side, but they do add some fun ingredient twists and they’re actually not half bad cocktails. In addition, throughout the book you get little quizzes, tips, facts, etc. On top of all that there are a pair of features that I really like. First, the recipes are all fairly simple with easily accessible ingredients. And, on that note, if there is an ingredient you’re not familiar with you can look it up in the back of the book to get an idea of the flavor, etc. Second, there is a “Cocktail Crash Course” section at the end of the book that introduces the tools, spirits and some pointers from a bartender. These features make the book accessible to cocktail mixers of all skill levels, which I think is exactly how books like this should be. I do have one complaint, which was pointed out by my loyal test subject, the cocktail pictures don’t always show the true look and color of the cocktails. While this is likely not a problem for a guy, it was pointed out that some ladies out there might pick cocktails to match a color palate. So, knowing that, make sure you mix up a sample cocktail to see if the colors work and, bonus, you get to drink the sample.

Blood Orange Bonanza (Cosmo's Official Cocktail Book)

3 oz X-Rated Fusion Liqueur

1 oz Light Rum

1/2 oz Grenadine

1) Combine ingredients in a blender

2) Add a handful of ice and blend until smooth

3) Garnish with a slice of blood orange

First, let me say 70’s blenders are rarely going to get you a picture perfect frozen drink. Mine sure as hell didn’t, but enough whining. Like a number of cocktails in this book, the Blood Orange Bonanza is very pink. But, like cocktails in the past, I’m going to let that slide. It’s all about the flavor, right? This drink was a little too sweet for me at first, but it was well received by Elisabeth. And, as the ice melted a bit the sweetness was cut and the overall flavor is quite nice. The liqueur offers some bright fruit flavors and the rum rounds it all out. I could have used a bit more sourness in this for my taste, I’d say a touch of lime juice or even blood orange juice would do some great things.

I added about 2 oz of prosecco once I’d had my initial sips and was really pleased. The prosecco cut the sweetness and gave the drink a really pleasant effervescence. I’d definitely suggest giving that twist a try if you mix up this cocktail. We also mixed up a few others from the book so keep an eye out for the recipes and my thoughts.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

The words American Lager generally illicit thoughts of macrobrewed session beers and all day drinking. That wasn’t always the case. As beer became popular in the United States lagers quickly became the favorite of the nation. That being the case, the lagers of that era were merely relatives of the mass produced lagers of today. Then came Prohibition. Breweries were shuttered, barrels of beer smashed and recipes lost. Sad times indeed.

When the dark days finally ended the beer landscape was changed forever. The old recipes were gone ushering in a new era of far lighter lagers. That is, until a couple years ago when Coors Brewing unearthed a pre-Prohibition lager recipe in their archives. Thus, Batch 19 was born and it’s good, quite good.

Batch 19 makes its first impression visually. With a medium amber/honey color Batch 19 is darker than the lagers of today and carries less carbonation and thus virtually no head. The aroma is very crisp with almost a cider-like quality, fruity and very light on the yeast. The flavor has a touch of hoppy bitterness and yeast with a very light sweetness. Batch 19 has a great dry quality that makes you want to keep coming back for more. While Batch 19 has qualities of a session beer, it is certainly a step above your standard macrobrew. This is definitely a beer I would order out.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

When you hear the words “Puerto Rican Rum” you’re likely to think of the 1,000 lb gorilla in the room, you know the one. But you’re limiting yourself if you stop there. There are lots of other great distilleries on the island. For example, today I’m reviewing DonQ rums. While DonQ has been around for 145 years there is a distinct possibility that you’ve never heard of them. That’s due largely in part to the rum being unavailable in the US for a number of years only recently having been reintroduced in 2006. Before I get on to the tasting notes I want to point you to a page on the DonQ site that talks about their sustainability practices. I think it’s really cool when companies do everything in their power to reduce their environmental impact. DonQ is doing just that, and taking it truly to the next level. Well done.

	Cristal – Crystal clear with aromas of caramel, vanilla, and butterscotch. The flavor carries the same sweet notes as the aroma and adds very slight notes of fruitiness. The finish is medium in length and carries on the spiciness, but there is something more there than just the vanilla, but I can’t put my finger (or tongue) on it. Very pleasing finish and overall a nice white rum.
	Gold – Light honey color with strong vanilla and caramel aroma with solid sweetness. The spice notes, specifically allspice, are intensified here. Strong vanilla in the flavor, but less spice than I expected from the nose. Long finish with lots of vanilla and spice. A solid gold rum with clean flavors.
	A̱ejo РHoney colored with a sharp aroma very similar to bourbon in terms of spice and vanilla qualities. Distinct wood flavor from the aging starts coming through here. The mouth feel is really special with this rum. Very full bodied and creamy, almost like melted butter. Your mouth gets a great coating of the rum with flavors of sweet dough, figs, butter, vanilla, Christmas spices and caramel. The finish is medium/long and leaves you wanting another sip. Really enjoyed this rum and would definitely drink it neat.
	Gran Añejo – We had a bit of anxiety starting the tasting of the Gran Añejo. We’d built our way up to it so much so that there was almost a worry that it wouldn’t meet our expectations. And truly it didn’t meet them, it exceeded them. The color of well polished teak this rum is visually striking. The aroma is less punchy than we found in the añejo with the vanilla, spices and caramel having blended and mellowed into a delicious harmony. The mouth feel is still coating, but not as much as the añejo. Flavors are, like the aromas, well blended and mellowed with notes of butter, vanilla, caramel, spices (nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon) and dried cherries. The finish is medium in length and leaves your palate very clean and craving more. I would sip this rum over the course of a evening. Taking a sip, savor the flavors as they fully run their course before taking another. Truly a great sipping rum.

If you’re looking for a new rum or simply looking to change things up, then you you should definitely keep DonQ in mind. From the Cristal and Gold for mixing to the Añejo and Gran Añejo for slow sipping, you’ll be very pleased. In addition to their standard line, DonQ offers a range of flavored rums. Keep an eye out for reviews of those to come.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

A few years back a friend took a vacation to Mexico. Naturally, I asked that he bring back native booze. The tequila that came back was a bottle of Espolon. At that point the tequila wasn’t particularly flashy, but it was tasty. I’ve spent the last years meting it out to worthy guests and savoring each sip. Quite exciting, recently I’ve seen bottles of El Espolon appearing on the shelves here. The new bottles have a very cool Day of the Dead motif and I’ve been promised that the recipe I enjoyed has stayed the same. Here’s to hoping that’s true.

Blanco – The crystal clear blanco expression of Espolon has a bright, clean agave aroma. The flavor has elements of roasted, vegetal agave and very light smokiness. I got a light sweetness with just a touch of acidity and flavors reminiscent of stone fruits, cherry in particular. Very light hints of spice round out the flavor and the finish is short and clean.

Reposado – The reposado is a light honey color and the aroma is exceedingly subtle. It was hard for me to pick out individual aromas but I did get a bit of agave and some citrus coming through. In addition there is an interesting dry, earthiness to the aroma. The acidity remains balanced by the light sweetness. The spice flavors have intensified a bit with the addition of vanilla and caramel. Finally, the agave is still present but mellowed and blended harmoniously with the other flavors. The finish on this one is equally clean and short.

The reposado is what my friend brought back for me and I can say it’s the same delightful tequila that I’ve enjoyed these past years. Both of these tequilas have a subtler agave flavor than some others so I’d suggest you pair them simply with some lime juice and triple sec for a classic Margarita. That will let the tequila flavors shine without overpowering their delicate nature.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

When my samples of Partida tequila arrived they were accompanied by a folder full of gushing reviews and highlights of the awards the spirits have won. Quickly leafing through the packet it seemed like the makers were really trying to toot their own horn. Not wanting my reviews to be swayed I didn’t read any of the information in the folder before I started tasting. Looking back, the horn tooting was certainly not in error. These tequilas really are something special.

Blanco – This unaged tequila is a very pale straw color and has a crisp, clean, vegetal agave aroma. The flavor follows suit with a subtle sweetness and the barest hints of vanilla and caramel flavors. The agave is the real star here. Its flavor is subtle but clean and bright. The finish has a medium length leaving you with a very smooth and well rounded experience. I think the blanco would make an epic Paloma. Something where the agave flavors could really sing without being over burdened by too many other notes.

Reposado – Aged for 6 months, the reposado has a golden straw color with a more muted agave aroma with notes of oakiness just starting to pop out. The agave in the flavor is also more muted, which is expected from the mellowing in the barrel. Vanilla and caramel coming through stronger now, likely a combination of the barrel aging and the toasted agave sugars. Finish is again medium to long leaving you with a very smooth overall flavor. The subtle sweetness I noted in the blanco carries through here and I think this tequila would be awesome in a Margarita. Though, if you decide to try that make sure to go a little light on the sweetener. You really want to let this tequila sing.

Anejo – Aged for 18 months, the anejo has a beautiful honey gold color. The crisp agave brightness I noted in the blanco have given way to complexity and depth with the caramel and vanilla flavors increasing yet more. There is a touch more acidity on the palate with this one and all the flavors are toned down a bit and blended. I tasted a very pleasant fruit and spice quality reminiscent of mulled cider coming through. Extremely smooth and harmonious flavors throughout this one. There is only one option to do this tequila right and that’s to simply sip it neat.

I’m really impressed by the Partida line of tequilas. They’re not the cheapest you’ll find out there by any means, but if you’re looking to treat yourself or give something to a tequila loving friend, you really can’t go wrong with these.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.