Nick, Author at First Pour Cocktails

Rebel 100 Bourbon

Posted on September 20, 2023September 17, 2023 by Nick

Unless you live in a state like Ohio, you probably aren’t buying Weller Special Reserve for $23 at any regularity. This is a shame too, because honestly, Weller Special Reserve is great at it’s price tag (and not worth $40-50 or even the $100 you’ll see at store that are gouging). So then what should you buy if you’re looking for a wheated bourbon? While the shining example on the hill is Maker’s Mark, they’re not the only brand, so what about Rebel 100 Bourbon which comes in $5 cheaper?

Rebel 100 Bourbon

Distiller: Lux Row Distillers
Age: Not Age Stated
Proof: 100 (50% A.B.V.)

Sight: Deep copper

Smell: Peanut and chocolate lead out with a musty grain and preserved cherry note. Cinnamon and light alcohol notes come through with a little bit of orange and more raw grain. Hints of spice, like pepper or chili are present as well.

Sip: The mouthfeel is thin and pull in light dark chocolate flavors and hints of cereal grain. The mouthfeel is slightly rough, but gets some oak, tobacco, vanilla, and fleeting cherry or plum skin. Light citrus, smoked leather, and grain is present as well.

Savor: There’s a bit of bite that gives way to tobacco and oak and a slightly underlying fruit. Bitter cherry is also a little present in the edges.

Rebel 100 Bourbon is a little rough around the edges but not bad. There’s a few different things going on, but none of them are particularly pronounced or deep. The flavors that are present are cohesive but muddled. The entirety of the experience doesn’t really make it scream ‘drink me’ while neat.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan there’s sweetness and a hint of spice and berry notes to start. The mouthfeel is a little on the light side, and the flavors have a black currant, cherry, and oak underpinning. Bits of chocolate and walnut wood round out the finish. As a Manhattan, Rebel 100 Bourbon feels a bit underwhelming and wouldn’t be a first choice.

In Review – Rebel 100 Bourbon

Rebel 100 Bourbon is light, easy going, and affordable. The proof doesn’t overly assert itself, which is nice. Nothing is bad here, but nothing is great either. At $20, this is right about where it should be, but it’s only a few dollars off of Maker’s Mark (or in the right place, Weller Special Reserve). The price difference just isn’t great enough to justify not taking the step up in quality.

If you’re willing to step away from wheated bourbon, there’s a lot competing in the $20 market, like Old Forester 100 and Jim Beam. Arguably Old Forester 100 delivers more in this context, and it’s really going to be about preference when compared with Beam. All of these might be more versatile choices for setting up your bar, with a wheated bourbon being an add on.

The Classics: Applejack Rabbit

Posted on September 18, 2023September 19, 2023 by Nick

This drink is from Judge Jr.’s Here’s How from 1927 (or 1928) depending on the edition of the book you track down. It’s a short collection of drinks, where Jr. combines the drink with a quick description and funny little quote. The Applejack Rabbit is described as, “This could really be called the Rabbit punch because it has the same effect“. Despite the equally hokey toast, “Here’s to the national bird – the swallow“, this drink’s modern revival has earned rave reviews from Laird’s for it’s balance, and is definitely a drink you should consider this fall.

Applejack Rabbit

2 oz

Apple Brandy or Jack

¾ oz

Lemon Juice

¾ oz

Orange Juice

½ oz

Maple Syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaking tin vessel. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

The Applejack Rabbit is a balanced, rich, and bright nuanced cocktail. The apple brandy here provides a surprisingly complex backbone, giving off elements of spiced oak, fresh apples, slight cider notes, and a bit of baking spice. The lemon and orange provide contrasting and melding citrus that doesn’t allow either to dominate. The result is elevating the apple brandy and allowing the maple syrup to add a dark, fall like richness that layers in seamlessly. It’s a really pretty fall drink.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Applejack Rabbit is another cocktail that used to be significantly sweeter, calling for equal parts of Apple Brandy and maple syrup. The more modern updates elevate the drink by standardizing the amount of citrus and toning down the sweetness. All that said, I think it’s balanced, but if you find yourself thinking it’s too dry or sweet, adjust the maple syrup accordingly with this in mind.

Apple Brandy / Apple Jack – We used Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy here. In a pinch you could use their applejack. In the event you can’t find either, look at your local apple brandies. In the event your like us in Ohio, we highly recommend Tom’s Foolery Applejack.
Lemon Juice / Orange Juice – For best results, use fresh squeezed and avoid anything in a bottle or jar. These will significantly impact the delicate balance of this drink.
Maple Syrup – We use our local store’s grade A, and we recommend you seek on out that’s local. Make sure they’re 100% pure maple syrup, and not made of sugar and water with coloring by checking the ingredients.

* – This link is an affiliate link which may result in us getting a partial commission from the sale. In 2022 we made $13.34 from affiliate links and made $6.93 so far in 2023, while we’ve spent well over $200 on just webhosting. Help us keep the lights on if you like our content, and please use our links!

Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc

Posted on September 15, 2023September 11, 2023 by Nick

Chocolate Liqueurs run the gamut from clear and boozy to creamy and mild. The result makes planning your cocktails a bit of a trick. Add the wrong chocolate liqueur to a drink, and that clear white chocolate martini can end up cloudy or brown. Add cream to the wrong drink, and things can curdle. Once you get past just figuring out what liqueur you need, then you have to figure out which one doesn’t suck. In the long line of their liqueurs, we have never had issues with Giffard, so does their Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc work for your cocktail needs, or is this a leftover tootsie roll in the liqueur aisle?

Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc

Proof: 50 (25% A.B.V.)
Notes: Lactose free, Gluten free, Vegan, No preservative

Sight: Essentially clear, but highly viscous.

Smell: The nose has a mild to moderate burn, but is layered with milk chocolate bars, vanilla, and hints of tootsie roll. The chocolate notes seem layered and more than just one milk chocolate element. It has a mild earthy note.

Sip: Unsurprisingly it’s sweet, thick, and very smooth. The flavor milk chocolate bars mixes with vanilla, and has a creamy chocolate milk like texture. The touches of vanilla and white chocolate keep that tootsie roll note going a bit. Subtle dark chocolate notes are in the background.

Savor: The finish is smooth and sweet with plenty of chocolate hanging around.

Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc is wonderfully chocolate laden, and delivers it with the required amount of sweetness. Although you wouldn’t want to sip on this straight (due to all the sugar), it’s clearly setup well for making drinks with. The flavors are thankfully very real, and avoid some of the artificialness you see in cheaper products.

In Cocktails

In a Grasshopper it adds a wonderfully chocolate background, and gives the mint a clever foil. It ends up rich and chocolaty without being overwhelming sweet. Similarly, Giffard plays particularly well in more complex applications, like the the 20th Century. The cacao element gives an earthiness without making the gin fight with the chocolate. This balance with the citrus shows how well it plays with other ingredients. It even works well in my mother’s chocolate martinis.

In Review – Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc

Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc is a wonderful choice for a creme de cacao, especially a white one, for your bar. The price point in the mid-to-high $20 range provides good value with lots of solid flavor. While you could go cheaper, you should prepare to taste more sugar and more alcohol. For these reasons, this is our current go to creme de cacao blanc.

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

Posted on September 13, 2023September 11, 2023 by Nick

Owned by Sazerac since 2003, A. Smith Bowman Distillery has not escaped the hype that follows other Buffalo Trace products. The line up has three relatively findable products:

Bowman Brothers Small Batch
Isaac Bowman – Port Barrel Finished
John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

They also produce an annual 10 year aged variety A. Smith Bowman which last year was a lottery item. One of the interesting features of this distillery is they don’t currently make their own distillate (which is nodded to in their language on the back of the bottle, “Produced By”), but rather get it from some where else in Sazerac’s portfolio. So does the hype for a product that isn’t even distilled there have merit?

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

Please note John J. Bowman has had a packaging change since I wrote this.

Mash Bill: Unknown – believed to be redistilled Buffalo Trace distillate.
Age: No Age Stated
Proof: 100 (50% A.B.V.)

Sight: Russet Muscat

Smell: Peaches and cherries pop cheerfully with notes of vanilla and caramel. A bit of heat comes through with spicy cloves and baked cinnamon pastries. A nice nuttiness and toasted oak pervades around the edges. The fruitiness also continues to abound with hints of white grape, apricot, and other stone fruits. There is a small amount of heat that builds here as well.

Sip: The sip starts smooth and moves toward almond and cherries. The cherries become candied with an increasingly nutty note. There are peaches that start to grow out with with notes of baking spices and tea. The flavor is fruity, but only hints toward caramel and vanilla, giving a fresh fruit flavor. The body is relatively smooth all the way through.

Savor: The ending pulls in charred peach and baked cherry notes before giving way to spice and oak.

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon is fruity and fragrant if not overly dessert like. The flavors really lean into stone fruit with a nice touch of nuttiness and spice. The result is a moderately complex bourbon with a relatively smooth and evenly weighted bourbon that’s an enjoyable sipper.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan the fruit flavors show up with full force pulling massive amounts of jammy peaches, macerated cherries, and ripe berries. White grape and tea come in, with a bit of vanilla and hints of brown sugar. The vermouth really brings a nice sweetness here to counterbalance some of the drier notes. On the finish, a nice touch of dried peaches and oak combine to give a little spiciness and a hint of tannin.

In Review – John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon is fruity and spicy mix with a good complexity. It leans drier, allowing the fruit to show off without overwhelming it in sugar or dessert flavors. The profile isn’t delicate either, robustly communicating the flavors. Overall, it’s a delicious bottle in the $45-50 price point, and that if it were easier to obtain, would be a slam dunk to start your bar with. Given the availability I can’t quite go that far, I still recommend you track down a bottle as this easily earns a recommendations as a great bottle to have around.

The Classics: Honey Moon Cocktail

Posted on September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 by Nick

Fall is almost here, and we’re dedicating the next few weeks to some apple brandy (or jack) based cocktails. Leading things off is the Honey Moon Cocktail. The original cocktail was sweet, and designed by none other than the amazing Hugo Ensslin (the man behind the Up to Date and Aviation). Arguably, this apple brandy based drink is better than the Up to Date, but pales to Aviation. That said, it’s still a tasty fall riff, and something you’ll want to consider as the leaves change.

Honey Moon Cocktail

2 oz

Apple Brandy

½ oz

Orange Liqueur

½ oz

Benedictine

½ oz

Lemon Juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaking tin. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

The Honey Moon Cocktail is balanced, apple forward, and bright. The flavors of the apple brandy come through with a nice strength, and the lemon livens it up. The Benedictine gives it a nice fall spice. The result is a riff on a whiskey sour that’s specifically geared toward apple brandy and fall.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The original recipe for the Honey Moon Cocktail gears toward sweet and spicy apples. In fact, it was originally setup as a 1:1 ratio of apple brandy and Benedictine while the lemon was a vague ‘half a lemon’ and the curacao was added in dashes. This more modern variant is really toned down to help focus on the balance of citrus and apple notes. If you find you’re finding this cocktail a bit on the dry side, consider adding another quarter ounce of Benedictine and/or curacao.

Apple Brandy – We used Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy here. In a pinch you could use their applejack. In the event you can’t find either, look at your local apple brandies. In the event your like us in Ohio, we highly recommend Tom’s Foolery Applejack.
Orange Liqueur – Obviously, you should avoid anything blue unless you want something swamp colored here. We recommend using Cointreau for the best results (which is what we used), but you can also use whatever curacao you have on hand.
Benedictine – We really don’t have a substitute for this, but on the bright side, it’s widely available. Consider adding a bottle to your bar to unlock a number of other cocktails.
Lemon Juice – For best results, used fresh squeezed.

Lyre’s Italian Spritz

Posted on September 10, 2023 by Nick

There’s no denying there are plenty of reasons someone might choose to abstain from alcohol. Thankfully, the market is increasingly moving toward options for those that want to enjoy the complex flavors of spirits without the effects of alcohol. Every year, the number of products on the market increases, and to be honest, not all of them are good. Among the many makers on the market, few seem to have the breath of products that Australia’s Lyre’s has. Given how hard it is to replicate base spirits, I wanted to give Lyre’s fair chance with something that isn’t trying to emulate an existing product. Hence, starting with Lyre’s Italian Spritz.

Lyre’s Italian Spritz

Ingredients: Water, Sugar, Natural Flavor, Phosphoric Acid, Preservative: Potassium Sorbate, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Yellow 6.
Proof: 0 (A.B.V. 0%)

Sight: An orangy- reddish hue with a slightly pinker tinge. Clear throughout. It is color adjusted with FD&C Red 40 and Yellow 6.

Smell: The nose has a candied orange smell with touches of floral orange blossom, clove and bitters. There’s an herbal note to it. There’s a candied red hot spice to it, and some blood orange juice note.

Sip: The flavor has a candied sweetness mixed with a bracing herbal bitterness. The sweetness is layered with notes of orange, herbal notes, touches of spice, and more candied citrus elements. The flavor is very reminiscent of Aperol.

Savor: The finish is bittersweet but balanced with plenty of citrus and spicy herbed notes. The finish lingers with a quinine like note, and the sugary character layers for a good duration.

Lyre’s Italian Spritz does a convincing impersonation of an Italian aperitif like Aperol. The bittersweet character nails the meal leading liqueur flavor, and feels balanced. It’s candied like character is slightly sweet at moments, but it feels well constructed. It does like a little weight at moments, but could be convincing as though it were a real aperitif.

In Cocktails

In a simple Highball, Lyre’s Italian Spritz has a light body, but feels lower on sweetness. The result is very clean with orange flavors (blood orange, naval, and clementine) coming forward with lots of herbal notes and hints of bitterness. Good complexity, and very easy to sip. The only slight downside is not a lot of weight.

In Review – Lyre’s Italian Spirtz

Lyre’s Italian Spritz is a convincing substitute for an aperitif. Of the non-alcoholic spirits, this segment seems the easiest to replicate, containing flavors that are not specifically liquor driven. The flavors aren’t quite as complex though, suffering some losing some of the wine based notes of some aperitifs. All that aside, Lyre’s is really good overall, and if you’re looking not to drink, or just want to tune down your ABV this is a very good option that happens to last up to 3 months.

While at the time of writing, Lyre’s Italian Spritz was out of stock at Amazon*, we recommend continuing to check back (as this is where we got it for about $35)

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel Select

Posted on September 10, 2023 by Nick

The last 1792 Full Proof store pick I had I received from a friend, and it was nothing short of delicious. As with most brands, when I find something I like, I think it’s worth exploring further. So on a trip last winter, I knew that the 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits pick was definitely something I’d have to try. So how does it compare, and did I make the right decision in getting another bottle by a different selector?

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits

Sight: Deep tawny, hedging on auburn

Smell: The nose here is decidedly more oaky than the last single barrel I encountered. There’s a perfumed vanilla that lingers behind a heavy oak and cigar component. The woody character gives off impressions of roasted walnuts and pecans with a deep dark chocolate and slight berry character. Like the other Full Proof, the nose has a tinge of alcohol that’s obvious enough that you shouldn’t go face first into the glass. Those berry notes add a brightness to the edges here, but make no mistake, this is a heavy nose that doesn’t convey sweetness.

Sip: The start is not at heavy as it might imply, but does quickly pull in some baking spice and toasted marshmallow. The oak notes definitely show up though, giving off a toasted char to compliment the spice. Some nuttiness and cocoa powder shows up. Vanilla works it’s way back in with a hint of brown sugar, but it doesn’t quite run sweet. There’s a tobacco and astringent black tea component moving here as well.

Savor: The finish pulls in some of those baking spices, black tea, and slight perfumed oak note. It lingers with a moderate weight without getting too aggressive, and goes more into a charred oak sort of linger. It pops with a little heat toward the end.

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is more of a dry take on things than the last bottle I had. This doesn’t mean it’s bad, but it’s more of a contemplative sipper that isn’t quite as unique or complex. It has some good deep notes in it, but it isn’t going to make anyone run out for another bottle to sip.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is unsurprisingly very full bodied and rich. The sweetness actually opens up though, giving an interestingly vanilla brown sugar character that lingers under a toasted barrel / marshmallow riff. The astringency is complimented by the sweetness of the fruity vermouth, and somehow the bitters kind of bind it. While it is strong in presence here, it also sort of mellows. Better in a cocktail than neat.

In Review – 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is good, and at a price under $50 it really delivers well on full proof without high price. While it isn’t the home run the previous full proof is, it still shows these picks are worth picking up and enjoying at the $50 price point. Generally speaking, it seems like if you happen to like 1792 (Barton’s) normal full proof, you’re going to enjoy other bottles. Thanks to reasonable price point, these are worth getting when you see them at retail.

The Classics: Americano

Posted on September 5, 2023September 4, 2023 by Nick

The summer isn’t over yet, but if you’re finding your self looking for a little more complexity in your glass, why not consider the Americano. This drink lives in the same family as the Highball, and replaces whiskey for Campari and sweet vermouth. The result is an aromatic and light low A.B.V. drink that blends late summer nights into warm fall days.

The Classics: Americano

Americano

1 oz

Campari

1 oz

Sweet Vermouth

4 oz

Seltzer

In a Collins glass, combine Campari and sweet vermouth with a few ice cubes. Stir to chill. Add seltzer or club, and top with ice. Garnish with a half orange slide.

The Americano is refreshing, slightly sweet, herbal, and complex. Between the bright notes of the herbal Campari and the subtle sweet and fermented fruit tones, there’s a lot to unpack here. The soda adds levity and orange expresses another dimension. The result is a delightfully quaffable drink that’s easy to make, and refreshing to drink

Drink Notes & Recommendations

Most of the changes to this template will revolve around the quantity of Campari and sweet vermouth compared to the soda. It’s mostly personal preference, but generally anywhere from 5:2 or 2:1 are the ratio of Campari / Sweet Vermouth to soda. Try making adjustments to see what works best for you. Also, don’t think you need to refill the glass completely, you can always top up part way through with more soda to keep the flavor going without adding more booze.

Campari – With Campari’s unique flavor profile, it’s really the recommended starting point for this drink. That said, because of how this template is constructed, you could lower the A.B.V. even further using a non-alcoholic Amaro or just use a different bittering liquor. This is a flexible low A.B.V. template you should feel free to explore with!
Sweet Vermouth – We used Carpano Antica here, but as this is one of the two ingredients that drive the base of the Americano, you should consider using whatever vermouth you enjoy best. Both light and fruity (Lustau) or rice and sweet (Cocchi di Torino, Carpano) will work well.
Seltzer / Club – We use Club at home, but using Seltzer is traditional here. It adds minerality for another layer. We encourage you to experiment and try both.
Orange – This is one of those cases where you can’t skip the garnish. The orange adds aromatics that induce you to unpack more of the aromatics from the wine and Campari. This makes the drink, don’t skip it!

* – This link is an affiliate link which may result in us getting a partial commission from the sale. In 2022 we made $13.34 from affiliate links and made $1.36 so far in 2023, while we’ve spent well over $200 on just webhosting. Help us keep the lights on if you like our content, and please use our links!

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum

Posted on September 1, 2023August 31, 2023 by Nick

I’d be remiss to tell you that I have some long fact sheet of information regarding Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum. In fact, if I were to attempt to explain how this rum came to find a place in my home, it’s almost certainly the result of misreading Martin Cate’s recommendation of Santa Teresa 1796 in his amazing book, Smuggler’s Cove*. At the time I was new to making Tiki drinks, and my wife and I were grabbing every brand of rum we could find that was listed in his book and not available in Ohio. So even though we made a bit of an error in picking up this particular bottle, is the rum still worth our time?

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum

Country of Origin: Venezuela (D.O.C.)
Age: No Age Statement (purportedly 5 years)
Proof: 80 (40% A.B.V.)

Sight: Chestnut Olosoro Sherry

Smell: A moderate amount of dry oak and sweet tropical fruit wafts up. There’s a buttery note here, with a bit of spice and some ethanol heat. Slight vanilla and caramel with a bit of esters accentuates a somewhat underwhelming nose.

Sip: The flavor is moderately fruity with some elements of sweet caramel and undertone of oak and vanilla. The spice and fruitiness lean toward coconut, and the rich buttery pastry flavor elements sometimes don’t get quite translate on the thin mouthfeel. There’s a bit of maybe pineapple, but things are fairly muddled and light here.

Savor: The ending pulls in some caramelized pineapple and oak spice. The rum like funk notes are super vague, and nothing is particularly distinguished. There’s even a bit of tannin that gives a hint of char.

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum is not particularly deep or refined. The flavors are pleasant if not particularly robust. If you’re planning on drinking it straight, than this isn’t going to really inspire you or excite your palate.

In Cocktails

In a Daiquiri, the lime really steals top billing, showing off the brightness while the sweetness and caramel comes toward the middle and later part of the sip. The rum itself isn’t necessarily the star, but it also isn’t really enhancing itself or the drink. In simplistic terms, this rum doesn’t result in a balanced drink, but isn’t ruining it either.

In Review – Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum is rather uninspired as a sipper, and makes a bland and unbalanced cocktail. Now if this sounds like a bad rum, it isn’t. It just isn’t a rum that’s worth remembering, hunting out, or recommending. It’s passible in the best possible, “that’s rum”, kind of way. This is different than something like Bacardi Gold (this is bad) where you notice it and you don’t want to drink it. Cost also plays a factor here, with bottles going in the mid-$20 range. That said, if you want an aged rum, Doorly’s X.O., El Dorado 8, or Appleton Reserve all offer significantly better value.

Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234

Posted on August 30, 2023August 30, 2023 by Nick

Castle & Key’s distillery starts it life in 1887 when Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr built the structure inspired by European architecture. The result featured a Castle, a classical Springhouse, and a Sunken Garden, and contributed to an age of bourbon hospitality. Sadly, it wouldn’t last, and the distillery was shuttered in 1920 with the passing of prohibition. Purchased in 2014, the team at Castle & Key began work to create a functioning distillery. Nearly 100 years later (2018) the first spirits became available for purchase, with aged spirits following in 2021/2022. Among these are single barrel selections, such as Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234. So has their effort paid off?

Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234

Mash Bill: 17% Yellow Corn / 63% Rye / 20% Malted Barley
Barrel No.: 234
Bottle No.: 32
Age: 4 Years
Released: 2022
Proof: 115.9 (A.B.V. 57.9%)

Sight: Russet Muscat to Tawny

Smell: Hello, would you like ALL OF THE PEANUTS. The noses explodes with peanuts, peanut brittle, peanut butter, and an armada of other peanut notes. A yeasty dough and mild milk chocolate flavor. The nuttiness covers a lot of the herbal notes, and instead lets some brown sugar and baking spice out.

Sip: It’s viscous, rich, and creamy on the palate. There’s a creamed honey and peanut that comes forward. The vanilla and pastry notes pick up a significant amount of clove and herbs. There’s a deep amount of caramelized brown sugar and light notes of fruit that comes through. There’s some apple and peach notes that get through too, but it’s heavily peanut and sugar orientated.

Savor: The finish carries through dessert like peanut notes mixed with peaches and light mint. The warm baking spices and a touch of tea like astringency gets into the mix. Welcoming oaky notes and light toasted elements finish the long, lingering, peanut finish.

Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234 is delightfully dessert like without losing the underpinned rye. It has a moderate amount of complexity and layered sugary notes. The yeastiness is pleasant and balanced, working as a good foil to neutralize some of the more predominate rye elements. Overall, this is a fun rye, and one that I think offers a lot at this price point.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye is smooth, hiding between the sweetness of the red plum in the vermouth. The herbal flavors emphasize slightly here, but there’s not a stand out element beyond the caramel and vanilla. The black tea notes creep up as it warms up. Overall, it doesn’t feel like a 120 proof rye Manhattan, and this disappearing act is a little disappointing.

Compared to another Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye

Another single barrel pick reveals a large gulf. The color shows a bit less, going toward russet muscat. The nose shows interesting aromas of honey and cinnamon with wine like fermented fruits. The herbal touches of the rye creep in adding a savory juniper kind of backdrop, but it lets a honeyed baklava come out. There’s a slight pastry and vanilla nose complexity. The palate explodes with raspberry, peaches, and mint. It’s moderate bodied, and pulls in honeyed tea notes. The flavor is almost similar to a deeply complex, aged dessert wine made with noble rot. There’s a hint of coffee and waffle cone here too. The sweetness here belies a funny sort of sweet white fruit character. The finish is complexly herbal and mixed with dried fruits. The finish brings forward some lingering dried red fruit notes.

Overall, it’s another stunner, even if it’s completely different. It gives me confidence in picking another barrel this rye.

In Review – Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234

Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye is really good on it’s own. Especially for the price point, and the step up over the standard shelfer (Castle & Key Restoration Rye). The premium bottle and cork add a richness to the experience, but the complex flavor of the rye inside adds up for a lot of fun. Having two bottles that both positively show this is a confidence booster for picking up another one of these, especially around $60.

The Classics: Rob Roy

Posted on August 29, 2023August 30, 2023 by Nick

While the Rob Roy is merely a swapped based Manhattan (for Scotch), nothing could be more the premier drink of Scotch from the prohibition era. Legend has it this drink was created by G. Selmer Fougner for a representative of Usher’s scotch. When the representative asked Fougner to make a drink with the Scotch, Fougner created this as few (if any) Scotch cocktails were common at the time. The rep loved it, and legend has it that the drink was named after a popular play at the time, Rob Roy. Simple, harmonious, and easily made if you have the ingredients for a Manhattan, the Rob Roy has endured.

Rob Roy

2 oz

Scotch

1 oz

Sweet Vermouth

2 Dashes

Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing vessel. Add ice and stir. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a cherry or orange peel.

The Rob Roy shows off the weight of the scotch and the flavors it can impart. Unlike a Manhattan, where Bourbon or Rye adds spices, caramel, and brown sugar, the scotch shows off floral, honeyed notes, malts, and subtle earthy notes. The play off the vermouth allows the fruit to show off. The bitters add the missing spice, and it rounds out nicely. If you like scotch, you’re going to like this. If you’re into American single malts, this may help you get into scotch. Overall, it’s balanced and delicious.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Rob Roy is the original Scotch cocktail. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about that. It doesn’t mean that it hasn’t had some variation over the years. Among the variation you’re most likely to see if the kind of bitters and garnish. The bitters are traditionally Angostura, but you can use orange bitters here for a more modern take. You can also split the bitters. Garnish is a cherry or orange, which you can adjust depending on the scotch you start with.

Scotch – The scotch you choose is going to drive the whole experience, so pick something you like. If you’re a fan of smoke or peat, you might enjoy a Lagavulin or Laphroaig. Something more light like Glenlivet 12 or the Great King Street Artist’s Blend will be better for those looking to emphasize more of the delicate fruit and floral notes.
Sweet Vermouth – The vermouth has to work in tandem here, perhaps more so than bourbon. Lighter vermouths like Cocchi di Torino or Lustau may work better with lighter scotches, while Carpano Antica may be more of a bully that’s better suited for big, bruising, smokey scotches. Experiment to see what works best with your chosen Scotch.
Bitters –
- Angostura* – These are the classic bitters, and will help impart spice.
- Orange – The orange bitters are more of a modern take, and you don’t need to use them. If you do Regan’s* adds a lot here with some delicious additional notes of cardamom and spice. You could also use Fee Bros Orange* if you can’t find Regan’s.

Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur

Posted on August 25, 2023August 24, 2023 by Nick

I didn’t believe the buzz around Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur when I first read about it a few years back. Coffee liqueurs tended to be syrupy, sweet, vaguely coffee, and sometimes other flavored malarkey that ended up in peoples coffee mugs for black Friday in my mind. Still, Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur seemed different. Made by some enterprising fellas down under, this coffee liqueur starts with 100% arabica coffee beans and is made by people that actually like coffee. The color is indeed that of rich, brewed coffee. So is it worth the hype and worth keeping on your shelf?

Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur

Sight: Deep brown, slight opacity once coffee oils begin to settle or when shaken.

Smell: Deep, rich, black coffee. A creamy and sweet element comes out the nose with a delightful hint of fruit and nuttiness.

Sip: Sweet with a rich texture and plenty of rich coffee notes. The flavors are layered with creamy elements, hints of raw sugar, mild fruity notes, and a bit of nuttiness. The coffee is layered and continues to evolve on sipping.

Savor: The finish leaves a lingering sweetness and plenty of that dark black coffee laced with brown sugar.

Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur is delightful, rich, and complex. The flavor profile is essentially what you would expect of really solid coffee. The liqueur element mingles well with the browned / raw sugar notes of the sweetness. The quality of coffee also shines through, giving a bit of fruitiness and roasted coffee nuttiness. All in all, this is a stellar liqueur.

In Cocktails

In a Revolver Mr. Black adds a beautifully rich coffee flavor with a slight nuttiness. Thanks to it’s controlled sweetness, it doesn’t overwhelm the drink, but rather lets the bourbon shine, providing a great foil. It also works especially well in an espresso martini, where the richness and clean flavors of the coffee shine through. Finally, I found in making old fashioned style drinks that it works particularly well with orange bitters (like Regan’s*) or banana liqueur (like Giffard’s Banane du Bresil). Overall, this works especially well at adding robust, clean, delicious coffee notes to cocktails.

Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur – In Review

Overall Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur represents our favorite expression of coffee liqueur that we’ve encountered. The quality of the product is high, and delivers the flavor of coffee with a mild sweetness and great viscosity. Thanks to all these factors, it plays particularly well in cocktails and add the coffee flavor without being overwhelming in small amounts. With the price being around $30, it’s an absolute steal, and a bottle we recommend if you like to enjoy coffee flavors in your cocktails.