2016 Holiday Gift Guide: Booze
Posted by Bullz-Eye Staff (12/06/2016 @ 11:00 am)
Walk into any liquor store and you’ll see hundreds of options. You can zero in on someone’s favorite drink when picking a gift, or you can get creative and choose something they wouldn’t buy for themselves. Also, remember that you don’t want to come to a party empty-handed, so get in the habit of at least bringing a bottle.
And for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.
Laphroaig Select Scotch Whisky
We sometimes like to imagine master distillers as mad scientists of sorts, mixing up solutions late at night as they eagerly search for the next cure-all elixir. The story behind Laphroaig’s Select Single Malt Scotch Whisky, while not as dramatic, confirms at least a few of our suspicions. Select is a combination of four Laphroaig whiskies — Quarter Cask, PX Cask, Triple Wood and 10 Year Old — brought together in new American Oak casks for a final maturation period. The resulting creation is described by Master Distiller John Campbell as “peat, ash and spice wrapped in a blanket of sweetness.” Our thoughts exactly. Upon first taste, one cannot escape the wave of smoke that permeates the aromatics and personality of this scotch. This is what the island of Islay is known for producing, after all. The signature peat may feel overpowering to the novice drinker, but subsequent sips reveal a surprising uniformity and balance underlined by a soft sweetness. Its subtle complexity invites the drinker to further exploration, without a punishing burn. All in all, we found Laphroaig Select to be a very approachable scotch, both in taste and in price ($44.99). Well-liked by our friends and family, we certainly recommend it for yours.
Crown Royal Vanilla Whisky
Crown Royal Whisky has always been easily identified thanks to the distinctive purple velvet bag with gold drawstrings that each bottle comes in. It’s been that way since 1939, when King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth visited Canada and were honored with this blend from Manitoba. But Crown Royal has continued to innovate since then, with each release being sold in a uniquely colored collector’s pouch. Their latest creation from the Flavor Series is Crown Royal Vanilla Whisky, boasting infused Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. And as one might imagine, you don’t create a flavored whisky on the premise that the flavor is subtle. No indeed, the vanilla is unmistakable. The vanilla scent is upfront but fairly balanced, yet immensely amplified in flavor when sipped. There’s no doubt that it’s smooth, however, with just a little heat upfront that quickly dissipates before being usurped by the vanilla extract. We thought it a little too sweet to be sipped neat but were intrigued by its potential on enhancing some familiar cocktails. We mixed it into a simple whisky and coke and loved it. From apple ciders to Old Fashioneds, this whisky makes for a great twist on holiday drinks. This would be a great addition for your alcohol loving friend, and best of all, you can even customize the bag on Crown Royal’s website to make them feel like royalty.
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2015 Holiday Gift Guide: Booze
Posted by Bullz-Eye Staff (12/03/2015 @ 8:00 am)
Walk into any liquor store and you’ll see hundreds of options. You can zero in on someone’s favorite drink when picking a gift, or you can get creative and choose something they wouldn’t buy for themselves. Also, remember that you don’t want to come to a party empty-handed, so get in the habit of at least bringing a bottle.
And for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.
BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron
If you’re looking for a simple way to class up your bar without breaking the bank, Bacardi’s new Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron is a great addition for under $25. This newly released white rum is crafted to be a high-end mixer, adding a touch of sophistication to the classic cocktails made at home. Besides casually mentioning the “Gran Reserva” label to describe your concoction, you can further impress your guests with the knowledge that the rum has been double aged; it’s initially aged for a year and blended, then returned to white oak barrels for an additional three months. While immediately flavorful upon tasting with light and fruity notes, we found its bite to be a little strong to be sipped on its own. However, stay true to its calling as a mixer, whether in cubas libres, mojitos or daiquiris, and you can’t go wrong. The Gran Reserva was created to pay tribute to the Master Blenders at Bacardi, but everyone might think they passed on some of their distilling secrets to you as well.
Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
Master Distiller Basil Hayden Sr. experimented with the addition of rye to bourbon in 1796, believing the spicy flavor profile of the grain would strikingly complement the sweeter, corn-heavy mash bill, and more than 200 years later, we’re still celebrating his decision one drink at a time. While Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the lowest proof (80 proof, 40% ABV) in Jim Beam’s Small Batch collection, it brings a near double dose of rye (27%) compared to the others. The resulting flavor profile is “blessed with rich hints of peppermint, notes of pepper, slight citrus overtones and a spicy, warming finish.” If that doesn’t sound inviting during the holidays, we’re not sure what does. We can’t get enough of this bourbon, preferring to drink it neat from a bourbon snifter to maximize its aroma and flavor. But we were also very pleased using it as a mixer in Manhattans, allowing for the rye to add an extra layer of depth to the drink. Putting this all together in a nicely packaged bottle, Basil Hayden’s is that bourbon you break out on special occasions like the holidays.
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2014 Holiday Gift Guide: Booze
Posted by Bullz-Eye Staff (12/17/2014 @ 8:00 pm)
Walk into any liquor store and you’ll see hundreds of options. You can zero in on someone’s favorite drink when picking a gift, or you can get creative and choose something they wouldn’t buy for themselves. Also, remember that you don’t want to come to a party empty-handed, so get in the habit of at least bringing a bottle.
And for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.
Roca Patrón Silver
It’s only been 15 or 20 years since high-end tequilas began to compete against Cognac and single-malt Scotch for supremacy among world-class sipping experiences, with often outstanding and highly accessible results. Already by far the best known premium tequila in the U.S., Patrón is upping their game even more with a new line of super-premium boozes, Roca Patrón, named for the stone wheels used to extract the juice of the blue agave plant. Unlike añejos and reposadas, silver (aka white) tequilas are un-aged and generally best used for cocktails and shots. At an MSRP of $69.00, however, Roca Patrón Silver is definitely no freshman-year bender fodder and a great gift for the man or woman who’s sipped nearly everything. The Patrón people describe the flavor as sweet, “with notes of black pepper, pumpkin and lime tea.” We taste mainly the honey-like flavor of the agave, but isn’t that the whole point of quality tequila? Not too stuffy to accompany a little grapefruit soda or perhaps even a perfectly a well-balanced classic margarita (shaken, not blended!), this definitely qualifies as not just the good stuff, but the very good stuff. Aged Roca Patrón Reposada and Roca Patrón Añejo are available at commensurately higher price tags.
Patrón’s Holiday Classic Cocktails Kit
Once maligned by the ignorant, tequila has emerged as every bit the equal of whiskey, gin and, yes, Cognac, as the basis for a truly tip-top cocktail – and we don’t just mean a classic margarita either, as marvelous as those can be. Now, the biggest name in premium tequila is marketing its own variation on one of the ultimate cocktail classics, the Añejo Manhattan, which substitutes aged tequila for the usual bourbon, rye or Canadian whiskey. This set (MSRP $54.99) includes a bottle of flavorful mellow Patrón Añejo, two very sturdy, large coupe glasses (a more rounded old-school variation on today’s standard martini glasses) and Dashfire Brandy Old Fashioned Bitters. The latter is a tantalizing alternative to standard Angostura aromatic bitters with a strong accent of smokey cloves; no self-respecting Manhattan is remotely complete without bitters, and this artisanal brand is an outstanding choice. All your giftee needs to add is a cocktail shaker/mixing glass, some sweet vermouth (ideally Carpano Antica), lots and lots of ice, and we’re off to the races! A strong gift selection for any open-minded cocktail enthusiast.
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