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THE GOOD HOST, COCKTAIL PARTY BASICS

One of the things I have found over my years of learning about the spirits business is that there are some basic rules when it comes to mixing a great party cocktail. Stirred, not shaken 1 - Use the proper method to make the drink. You might be surprised when I explain that shaking a martini, for instance, has a negative impact on the outcome. Stir it. The same applies for almost any other cocktail. A number of things require muddling, such as Old Fashioneds and Mojitos. You have to muddle firmly to release juices, and a gentle muddle will result in muted flavors. And adding ingredients in the improper order can also impact things - always add soda or sparkling water last, for instance. You don't want to agitate carbonated drinks...trust me. So many choices, so much expense 2 - Don't automatically use top-shelf liquors as your base, particularly if you're making drinks for a number of people. Some top shelf brands will suffer with the addition of sugars and/or fruit flavors

The Gift of a Good Whiskey. Or is that Whisky? Help!

I immediately recognize the expression when I come into the whiskey aisle: A customer is standing back, just staring at the wall of bottles in front of them. Furrowed brow. Befuddlement. Angst. I am the certified Spirits Professional for the local location of a large national chain wine and spirits store. My job, essentially, is to work with customers who need some advice, want to talk spirits or - like the person in front of me - are completely at a loss. “Can I help you?” I ask. I get a relieved expression almost immediately. “Yes, if you don’t mind. I’m looking for a (fill in the blank) present for (fill in the blank…husband, wife, friend, boss). All I know is he/she/they like whiskey.” It’s a common conversation. The selection in our store is huge, and if you don’t know the category, it can be overwhelming. Plus, the term whiskey can refer to a number of things. I usually start these conversations with a series of questions designed to help me dig down a bit deeper. D

The Royal Titans of Cocktail Culture

The world is full of thousands of cocktails, likely even into the tens of thousands. I’m not talking about the nuances, such as vodka martinis with olives versus a lemon twist, I’m talking about basic solid standalone drinks with their own personalities and flavors. From Long Island Iced Teas to Screwdrivers, Black Russians, Daiquiris and more. Some are as individual as the bartender who created them, or as common as margaritas in Mexican restaurants. But as much as there are as many cocktails as there are bar menus, there are a few which are universal and classic. These are the drinks which, even if they’re not on a menu the bartender can make them. They’re the first things we learn and likely the most popular we serve. For purposes of sticking to cocktails, straight spirits sippers, neat or on the rocks, are omitted from consideration. These are all mixed drinks. Here are the top, imperial classic cocktails which stand atop mixology. In their own way they define their categories.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A WRONG ANSWER

I am reading Kevin Zraly's excellent wine education book Windows on the World Complete Wine Course . Despite the dense and dry title of the book it's a fast and fascinating read, all about wine from the different types to the impact it has on our senses. In fact, I've just finished the chapter dealing with the relationship between wine and our senses. In particular, taste and smell. In my line of work I am often asked for recommendations for wine, particularly with people who are just starting to explore their interest in it and may not yet have developed a full understanding or appreciation of their palate. I begin with a series of questions designed to help me find something the questioner will like. A lot of these questions have to do with the senses of smell and taste. "Are you drinking this by itself or with food?" "What kind of food are you serving it with," or "What kind of food do you like?" "Have you had any previous

EATING YOUR CAKE...

The late author Harlan Ellison, a brilliant writer, friend and quasi-mentor of mine, was devoted to the proper use of language. As a writer and lover of the language he would often correct people who misspoke, those using words or phrases in the wrong way - usually involving his distaste for anyone using the word "like" as a pause, or "awesome" for anything that really, on the face of it, was not. "The universe is awesome. The Grand Canyon is awesome," he would observe, "your cheeseburger is not." And one of his biggest pet peeves was the phrase "Eat your cake and have it too." All too often it is reversed and people will be heard to say "Have your cake and eat it too." Harlan would point out that there's really no trick to having a cake and then eating it. The real trick is to eat your cake and yet still have it. Hence "Eat your cake and have it too." So. Why am I referencing this? What possible co

IN SEARCH OF "THE BEST"

Much is made of the lists generated by online and in print spirits reviewers. Oftentimes the very top echelon of reviewers - everyone from professional writers such as Jim Murray, Stephen Beal and Fred Minnick, to publications like Wine Enthusiast and Whiskey Advocate - love to publish their very own list of standout bottles from around the world. "Bob Smith's Top Ten Tequilas for 2020!" And that's great. Everyone should have a list of what is considered to be the standard bearers of the industry. Special bottles of bourbon, or scotch, or rums, gins and tequilas, etc. All fine and good. But what I have seen and heard for myself is that too many consumers will jump on bandwagons simply because someone else says "this is the best." They'll immediately run out and try to find a bottle of the stuff, regardless of what anybody else might say on the subject. Many of the unicorns - particularly in bourbons - have become to simply because someone say