The Mexican Spirits Tradition You Don’t Know About: Flavored Bacanora
With over 15 years writing about and judging spirits under my belt — not to mention traveling to dozens of distilleries and literally thousands of the world’s best bars — it’s easy to have “seen it all.” Drink is...
It’s Time to Take Ethyl Carbamate Seriously Again
Ethyl carbamate (EC), also known as urethane, is a compound found in fermented foods and beverages. It’s an ester of carbamic acid. It’s also a known carcinogen (cue ominous-sounding music), making it an important compound to know and understand...
Why Genever Is Still Misunderstood
It was 2008 when Lucas Bols came to the States and made a big splash in cities like San Francisco and New York. The legendary genever/jenever (pronounced juh-NEE-vuhr) has been produced since 1575, the world’s oldest distilled spirits brand....
The Power of Color
Naples, Italy, is vibrantly orange. Bars and carts dedicated to serving Aperol spritzes are tiled and canopied with Aperol orange — a universal language that makes it easy for any tourist to find refreshment in the bustling city. Yes,...
The Rise of American Amaro
Amaro has a larger stateside presence than ever before. Not only are we importing a greater array of amari from Italy, American craft producers have also been trying their hands at making domestic expressions. From coast to coast there...
The Fixative Effect
A bartender serves up an ice-cold Martini. (If it helps you visualize the scene, let’s say it’s a 7:2 ratio, served up with a twist. Stirred, naturally.) The customer chose a bright, citrus-forward gin. She takes in the beautiful...
13th Annual Judging Award Winners
The 2019 Judging of Craft Spirits once again showed itself to be a unique snapshot of the industry. Spirits entered into the competition this year indicate an overall increase in the quality of craft spirits as well as some...
Are We Ready for Accelerated Aging?
“There is hope that 1-year-old whisky may soon rival 16-year bonded liquor in taste and smell and at a vastly lower cost. … Chemists are glad Prohibition is over so they no longer have to listen to bootleggers for...
More Than Juniper
Unlike other spirits, the flavor profile of gin is carefully selected before production. With whiskey, mezcal, rum, vodka and other commercially produced spirits, flavor compounds mostly result from a combination of effects relating to fermentation, distilling and aging processes....
