Spirits Archives - Page 8 of 16 - First Pour Cocktails

Knappogue Castle 12 Year Irish Whiskey

Posted on March 4, 2022February 13, 2023 by Nick

Our track record with Irish Whiskey has felt like a long and winding road. We started with Jameson, which was fine. Moved on the Dubliner, which felt like an improvement, before going to the Busker, which seemed debatably better. That said, none of them ever quite hit wow. So when the opportunity to try Knappogue Castle 12 Year Irish Whiskey came up, I was excited. Not only does it have a good reputation, but it was one of the original bottles in Death & Co’s book. So does it live up to the hype?

Knappogue Castle 12 Year Irish Whiskey

Knappogue Castle 12 Year Irish Whiskey is triple distilled using copper pot stills and aged 12 years in ex-bourbon casks. Unlike the other Irish whiskeys we’ve covered so far, it is a single malt instead of a blend.

Sight: 14k Gold to Hay.

Smell: The nose has a bit of heat to it, but pulls in vanilla, cream, touches of bourbon casks, and pears. The nose evolves into spice, apple blossoms, heather, and other floral notes. Caramel and cereal notes begin to crawl out with a bit of powdered sugar or cotton candy.

Sip: The palate starts off light and becomes slightly creamy. It opens up into apples, pears, banana, caramel, powdered sugar, butterscotch, and hints of oak with spice. The butterscotch leans toward caramel, and works well with some of the heather characteristics that hide in the background. There is also a hint of charred sugar as well (as though roasted over a campfire)

Savor: The ending instantly perks up into crisp green apples and cereal notes. Things shift into some of the oak spices and grain notes with a linger of charred marshmallow.

Knappogue Castle 12 is easy going and more fruity than it seems. The notes of green apples and pears really live throughout this whiskey, and provide it with a stable core to build butterscotch and sugar flavors over. Despite that it isn’t sweet, and it doesn’t try to overwhelm the imbiber. The biggest ding against it the slightly aggressive alcohol forward nose, but overall it’s a wonderfully simple and easy going Irish whiskey.

In Cocktails

Knappogue Castle 12 Year Irish Whiskey is gentle and add it’s delicate cereal notes, hints of heather, and apple elements to the background of Cameron’s Kick. The gentle character adds an underlying elegance that isn’t front and center, but steps in when it needs to. The middling alcohol content (A.B.V. 43%) allows it to also add some good weight and texture without adding heat. It almost adds that creaminess which is lovely.

In Review – Knappogue Castle 12 Year Irish Whiskey

Knappogue Castle 12 Year Irish Whiskey is heading into a higher echelon of whiskey at $40, but provides a good amount of character for the price. The character of the creaminess is part of the standout nature of this whiskey. The fruitiness gives it a lot of flavor that doesn’t get overwhelmed by the bourbon aging either. Overall, there’s a lot to like here, and it currently represents our favorite Irish whiskey as of writing this.

Barrell Seagrass

Posted on February 25, 2022February 15, 2022 by Nick

Barrell Seagrass was one of those polarizing whiskeys that made a lot of noise from reviewers over the past year. Consistently ranking highly, this Rye Whiskey is finished in Martinique Rum, Madeira, and Apricot Brandy Barrels for a one of a kind flavor. The result of this finishing is a character nothing quite like the rye whiskeys most people are used to. People have ranged from gushing to confused as a result, but most admit that it’s more of a flavor choice and price point than any actual defect with the whiskey.

Professional whiskey enthusiast Fred Minnick agreed, naming one of Barrell Seagrass’ one of his top 2 American whiskey of 2021. As result, Barrell Seagrass has been flying off the shelves, so it is worth the chase?

Barrell Seagrass

Barrell Seagrass is a blend of American (distilled in KY, IN, and TN) and Canadian rye whiskeys. These sourced whiskeys are then finished in the Martinique rum, Madeira, and apricot brandy barrels before being blended to make the distinctive flavor of Barrell Seagrass. As a result, proof varies between batches. This batch comes in at 118.58 proof.

Sight: Deep copper

Smell: Apricot and bubblegum come floating out with a good waft of heat. The apricot is sort of malleable, giving way to an apricot compote with a spiced note. Grassy notes with a touch of mint come in. The nose fringes into candy, almost like gummy bears laced with elderflower. The nose is very perfumed.

Sip: The palate is smooth and slightly sweet. The flavor of candied and dried apricot starts things off, before opening into spiced oak notes and a touch of grass. There’s a bittersweet almond and cocoa note that hints at the fringe. Grapefruit and elderflower come toward the tail and leave the ending with a floral character.

Savor: The ending brings in a wet stone, fresh rain on wood notes, and laces with grassy element, nuts and spices. The finish continues on with touches of unripe apricots and grapefruit pith.

Barrell Seagrass is distinct and unique thanks to the finishing process. The flavors are very well layered and balance between sweet, floral, and earthy. Apricot standouts out here, giving a perfumed character that runs all the way through the whiskey. The floral and nutty notes, combined with citrus makes for an exciting mix of flavors that keeps each sip evolving. Martinique rum also lends the earthy and funky flavors that make it hard to pin down what flavor is leading. Overall, the finishing job is tremendous, and it’s excitingly well done.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, the apricot sweetness comes through front and center. It mingles with the grassy rhum notes and slightly minty rye notes to vibe with the herbal notes in the vermouth. The juicy red berry and caramelized notes of the vermouth bring an additional level of fruitiness. Finally a crazy floral streak runs right through the middle to brighten and perfume the whole drink. Spice and apricot round things out for a long finish. Overall, it’s a wild Manhattan, but probably not the best use of a high end finished rye.

In Review – Barrell Seagrass

Barrell Seagrass is priced at $80 – $90. The price is undoubtedly high, but the quality of the product matches in this case. From a cocktail enthusiast’s perspective, Barrell Seagrass offers an opportunity to make supercharged, superstar unique cocktails – but the price is prohibitive to experiment with. For standard classic cocktails, you’ll want to go with something more traditional like Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye or Pikesville, or even Rittenhouse. However, none of those will be anywhere near the unique sipping experience that Barrell Seagrass offers. This is a must try (and perhaps a try before you buy for a full bottle.)

Little Book Chapter 5: The Invitation

Posted on February 18, 2022February 15, 2022 by Nick

Little Book Chapter 5: The Invitation is the fifth release in Jim Beam’s curated collection from Eighth Generation Beam Master Distiller Freddie Noe. “The Invitation” invites tasters to explore interesting blends, ages, and flavors in the evolving world of whiskey. The blend is meant to highlight the diverse influences that have influenced Freddie Noe’s journey and and shaped his style as a distiller. The results are nothing short of being fantastic, as the Little Book Chapter 5 has ranked number 3 on Fred Minnick’s Top 100 American Whiskeys of 2021.

Little Book Chapter 5: The Invitation

Little Book Chapter 5: The Invitation is a blend of 2 year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 3 year-old Malted 100% Rye Whiskey, 5 year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 15 year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The final result comes in at 116.8 proof.

Sight: Chestnut – Oloroso Sherry

Smell: The nose is an evolutionary experience with Little Book, changing gradually over the time you leave it in the glass. On first pour, there was a heavy dose of peanut and charred oak. After opening, the nose explodes with juicy caramel, brown sugar, rich toffee, peanut brittle, and a jammy cherry. As the nose continues to open, there are elements of charred oak, cigar box, toasted spices, black tea, maple syrup, warm vanilla, and a touch of almonds. Despite the proof, there’s not a lot of heat.

Sip: The body opens smooth and then warms up slightly. The flavors of preserved cherries and warm vanilla laced caramel come through. Touches of brown sugar and molasses open the door to almond brittle and notes of grape. The oak influence kicks in, adding elements of cigar spicing, roasted sugar, baking spice, and tobacco. Elements of black tea and a slight fruit funk jump in and compliment the light spicy sweetness.

Savor: The finish pulls through the creamy brown sugar and caramel elements with a healthy dose of spice. Roasted oak and spice goes through with a hint of burnt marshmallows. The finish lingers beautiful, layering in more wood and sweet sugar notes.

Little Book Chapter 5: The Invitation is simply incredible. The flavors are layered, complex, and intricate. The sweetness of the caramelized notes is pervasive, but evolves constantly at Little Book continues to open. The fruit notes are present enough to give it variety, while the nuttiness and wood make up all the in between notes. The result is an incredible whiskey to simply savor over hours.

In Cocktails

Let’s start with the obvious, you’re not buying this bottle make cocktails. To a certain extent, there’s probably some group that would argue putting this in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned is sacrilege. All that said, if you own one, it’s your bottle, and you should enjoy it as you see fit. So here’s what I think of it in the one Manhattan I made.

Is it a good Manhattan? Oh god yes. Is it 3-4 times better than a $30 – $50 bottle of whiskey? No, not even remotely. You’d have to be out of mind to be making Manhattans or Old Fashioneds with it. The flavor is explosive with juicy cherries, spiced oak, and caramel. The notes of nuts and black tea are absolutely present, and it fights with some of the herbal character of the vermouth, explaining to pretty much every other element in the drink that is the superior element. The spicing and brown sugar flavors are so intense that it actually manages to pull off the same length of finish it does in the Glen Cairns glass.

To date, this is the most expensive Manhattan I’ve ever made, and was delicious. I do not however recommend you use Little Book for this purpose.

In Review – Little Book Chapter 5: The Invitation

Little Book Chapter 5: The Invitation is one of the best whiskeys I’ve ever encountered. This sort of bottle is obviously not a stock it and keep it around for making drinks sort of thing, but it is an incredible offering if you can manage to find it. One of those, words-fail-you sort of offerings that you keep for special occasions. Even at $125, there’s a lot of value here and you should try it if you get an opportunity.

Great King Street Artist’s Blend

Posted on February 11, 2022July 25, 2022 by Nick

Compass Box is well known for some of the more interesting blends in the past couple decades, including their Peat Monster and Hedonism. What some individuals don’t know is that Compass Box also offers a truly affordable daily drinking / cocktail scotch in their Great King Street Artist’s Blend.

Great King Street Artist’s Blend

Great King Street Artist’s Blend is a high malt (55%) blend that comes from a one-hundred year old recipe. It is non-chill filtered and has no added coloring. Like many scotches, over 70% of the blend is first fill bourbon barrels, but it also has influence from French oak and sherry barrels. A high amount of the blend is also single malts at 40% of the blend. All of this adds up to theoretical quality, but how does it taste?

Sight: A pale gold fringing into summer corn color.

Smell: The nose starts off with barrels of green apples and pears. Notes of caramel and sugar come through, giving a delightful candied note to the apples. There’s a bit of pie like cooked notes that come through, and are leaning into hints of baked oat crumble.

Sip: The start is smooth and rich as things start out. Warm notes of caramelized apples and baking spices come out off the bat. There’s a gradual lean into cereal notes and more green pears / apples. There’s a bit of nutty vinous note that comes in toward the start of the finish.

Savor: The finish is nutty and laden with apples and cereal grains. The finish coats the palate and continues on, giving a little spice as it goes.

Great King Street Artist’s Blend is a beautiful, yet simple scotch. The flavors of fresh apples and spice compliment richly against the cereal grain elements. Combined with the balanced and lingering finish, it ends up being easy to drink but in no way boring. The final result is inviting and smooth enough to drink on its own, but also stands up to water, ice, or other flavors.

In Cocktails

In a Highball the apples and cereal notes wake up and bring out slight touches of orange. The carbonation and minerals bring forward some of the earthier notes in blend – possibly emphasizing some of the oak influence with a touch of vanilla and spice. The result is super drinkable, and easy going. In a Rusty Nail it keeps the apple and pear flavors at the forefront, while the touches of spice balance well against the herbs and sweetness of the Drambuie. Overall, it works fantastically in both applications, standing up to the strong flavors of the Drambuie while also showing it’s ability to be subtle in the highball.

In Review – Great King Street Artist’s Blend

Great King Street Artist Blend is one our favorite choices for a home cocktail bar due to its ability to work both in cocktails and on its own. The flavors are quintessential scotch, but also refined and elegant. At a price point between $30 and $40, it’s absolutely worth keeping on your shelf. If you haven’t tried Artist’s Blend yet, you’re missing out on a great scotch that’s also a great value.

Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum

Posted on February 4, 2022February 3, 2022 by Nick

Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum has London on the label, but is actually produced by Hampden Estate in Jamaica. The rum is produced from two separate pot stills, Wedderburn and Plummer. One is purportedly barely aged, while the other purportedly spends 3 years in ex-bourbon barrels. The result is a “Navy Strength” rum bottled at true proof (114 proof or 57% A.B.V.) that comes in at about $30. While the proof lets you know your gun powder will still go off, is it worth loading your bar with this bottle?

Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum

Sight: A beautiful bright gold with a tinge of orange throughout.

Smell: The proof is expressed from the nose in a way that informs you quite deliberately that you shouldn’t just shove your nose directly in. Heat aside, heavily caramelized bananas, brown sugar, treacle, and various tropical fruits explode out of the nose. The nose is deeply complex for the price, and conveys the esters that one associates with Jamaican rum. Additional fruits begin to emerge, including apples, oranges, pineapples, guava, and fermented banana.

Sip: The body is on the thin side, and is undeniably rather hot. As the rum opens, there’s a song amount of spice that begins to expand including allspice, cinnamon, and cloves with a hint of powdered pepper. Banana and grilled pineapple begin to emerge, and a load of caramel comes through. Touches of molasses and brown sugar come forward as well. Touches of oak are pervasive throughout.

Savor: The ending is warm and spicy. The fruitier notes get tangled in oak, and ultimately the full cadre of esters come out to hang around on a rather long finish.

Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum has an amazing nose and delivers quite a bit of flavor for the price. While it would be rough to sip for an extended duration, it displays a ton of flavor. The caramelized notes run throughout, and the fruitiness is inviting. These flavors provide a good base to consider Smith & Cross for cocktails.

In Cocktails

In a daiquiri Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum simply sings. The flavors of banana and grilled pineapple explode outward thanks to the brightness of the lime. The spices kick things into overdrive, adding clove and allspice notes while a subtle caramelized sweetness hangs out in the background. The oak is there, but the finish keeps things balanced as tropical fruit and esters hold their own. As it warms, it even gets a sweet up tick at the end. The result is a complex and layered daiquiri that’s simple to make.

In Review: Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum

Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum is one of our favorites. Not only does it deliver flavor in droves, it also won’t break the bank. Those beginning their rum journey might find this one a little hard to take (thanks to the incredible mix of flavors and high proof), but we encourage you to try it anyways. It can show you the next step in your rum journey without costing you an arm and a leg. In addition, it makes a killer rum for tikis, especially if you want to use it as one of multiple rums in a cocktail. Smith & Cross is worth your time, and you should consider it for one of your next rums.

Maker’s Mark 46

Posted on January 28, 2022February 7, 2022 by Nick

To the unfamiliar observer Maker’s Mark 46 appears to just be the next step up the line in Maker’s line up of bourbons. While it does represent an increased cost to purchase, Maker’s 46 should be considered an extension of the standard Maker’s Mark line up, and their entry point into their wood finishing series. Instead of changing their base recipe, 46 takes fully matured Maker’s Mark and then continues to age it with 10 virgin French Oak staves added to the barrel. The result is Maker’s Mark, but with a French oak twist. So is it worth the extra price?

Maker’s Mark 46

Sight: A burnished chestnut color.

Smell: French vanilla coffee and fresh baked pastry leads off, followed by jammy cherries. There’s a certain amount of creaminess here that gets paired with caramelized brown sugar and notes of crème brulee. Hints of banana, leather, cigar box, and spicy oak play background.

Sip: The sip leads of smooth and silk, but quickly becomes firm and slightly warm. There’s a pop of smoked vanilla and latte that explodes out. The French vanilla combines with oak and baking spice. A lazy caramel drizzles its way through, lavishly coating things, while a slightly smoky preserved cherry hides in the background.

Savor: The ending preserves that smoked vanilla cherry note, while adding in some toasted oak and caramelized sugar (with just a hint of charred marshmallow)

Maker’s Mark 46 is beautifully French oak polished Maker’s Mark. There’s a lot going on here beyond the normal cherry, tobacco, and oak of ordinary Maker’s. Specifically, it pops with French vanilla, coffee notes, and other toasted wood elements. The addition of caramelized sugar notes bring a subtle sweetness. Maker’s 46 is lovely on it’s own, and reasonably priced for the additional complexity.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Maker’s Mark 46 adds a variety of vanilla and caramel notes immediately out of the gate. The vanilla almost becomes floral, like a vanilla bean. It then balances back out, allowing touches of cherries and baking spice to join in. Brown sugar and almond notes accentuate and have a hint of bitterness. Texturally it’s still rich, but more balanced throughout and the ending avoids being tannic.

In Review – Maker’s Mark 46

Maker’s Mark 46 is a clearly step up and departure from its sibling. While it does deliver additional flavor, the flavor is much more focused on the traditional vanilla notes associated with French oak influence than creating deeper version of the original Maker’s Mark. In doing so, they’ve created a separate but related product that maintains its quality and is both a very good bourbon and great finished bourbon. Its amazing flavor also plays well in classic cocktails and adds another dimension for crafting new items. While it isn’t a must have for a bar, it is a must try for any fan of French oak aged wines, vanilla fans, or Maker’s Mark fans. For only $8-10 more, it’s certainly worth a try.

Grey Goose Vodka

Posted on January 21, 2022January 2, 2022 by Nick

Grey Goose Vodka is a status symbol. Walk into any bar, and you’re likely to find it on the top shelf. The marketing obviously work, as folks that you used to grab Svedka or Stoli suddenly reached upward to a trend avian based vodka. It didn’t just grab vodka fans either. Beer drinkers like my father gradually moved toward martinis from what was mostly beer. As much fun as it is to discuss the malaise of chilled glasses of Grey Goose (keep that vermouth away from my [vodka] martini!), Appletinis, and Cosmopolitans – these were critical steps to revitalizing cocktails. So was Grey Goose worth the expense?

Grey Goose Vodka

Grey Goose’s origin story is that it’s an effort to make a French vodka unlike any other. They accomplish this by using winter wheat from France and water from their spring in the Cognac region of France. So does it make it better?

Sight: Clear

Smell: The nose is clean, presenting ethanol and a light about amount of vanillin and a light amount of cereal grain.

Sip: The body is rich, lanolin, and has just a slight amount of sweetness. The cereal and vanillin notes comes through once more with a hint of the wheat from the distillate.

Savor: The ending has an ethanol note that lays heavily over the top of the vanillin and wheat notes before fading.

Grey Goose Vodka is clean, with few distracting flavors. The lack of real burn or complex flavors is clearly the draw here. It’s important to note that the texture is also quite nice. There are clearly reasons to like Grey Goose if your desire is an unobtrusive vodka.

In Cocktails

In a Kangaroo the Grey Goose does what it does best, provide support. The weight of the vodka goes well with the bright character of the dry vermouth. The subtle sweetness ties it together, and that vanillin note makes it feel composed. Overall, it behaves cohesively without being obtrusive.

In Review – Grey Goose Vodka

Grey Goose Vodka is really a master class in how to create a luxury brand. As vodka goes, the smoothness of texture puts it right in line with other luxury focused brands like Absolut Elyx and Chopin. While it gets an edge over the Tito’s and Absolut of world, there is an almost 50% price increase. We have in the past said that we think the splurge is worth it to buy the slightly more expensive Absolut Elyx, and by that standard Grey Goose deserves consideration. If you really don’t want to taste the vodka, Grey Goose is something that could fit the need and your bar.

Mellow Corn

Posted on January 14, 2022January 2, 2022 by Nick

Perhaps the first thing to note about Mellow Corn is that it is not labeled as bourbon. The reason is that Mellow Corn is actually produced to the specifications required for a lesser known spirit classification, Straight Corn Whiskey. These whiskeys require that at least 80% of the mashbill be made of corn and can not exceed 160 proof at distillation. Straight corn whiskey is not required to be aged. For aged straight corn whiskey the barrels must be uncharred or previously used. A bottle may be labeled as Bottled In Bond if aged a minimum of 4 years, and meeting the other requirements as set forth by the U.S. Bottled In Bond act.

Mellow Corn

Mellow Corn is one of those quirky sorts of bottles that has an unshakable following. Supporters will extol the virtues of Heaven Hill’s bottom shelf dweller in poetic terms, before gushing about the price. At under $20 and a fairly decent level of availability, it’s not surprising that folks would look to find value in a steadily increasing world of bourbons priced in the $50 – $80 range.

Mash Bill:
- 80% Corn
- 8% Rye
- 12% Barley
Age: 4 Years+
Aging Vessel: Used Bourbon Barrels
A.B.V.: 50% (100 Proof)

Sight: Yellow Gold

Smell: Roasted popcorn and a hint of nuts leads things off with a bit of an ethanol hit. Warm, toasted caramel joins in with a healthy dose of spice, and there’s just a hint of fruitiness. There’s also a subtle corn hint. The heat is pretty prevalent throughout.

Sip: The body is light, and that unmistakable flavor of roasted corn and popcorn is prevalent throughout. Touches of spice flirt with the flavor and a hint of sweetness joins in. The heat is notable, if not oppressive.

Savor: The ending carries forward a good mix of oak spice and notes of a variety of corn (roasted, fresh, popcorn) with in a twinge of heat.

Mellow Corn is an enjoyable experience that keeps things straightforward and flavorful. If you didn’t realize this was a different product, you might even be inclined to mistake it for a bourbon. What it lacks in complexity, it makes up in straightforward whiskey flavors you’d expect. As a straight sipping whiskey, it’s interesting, but not something that would keep you investigating it over and over.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan the corn just vanishes. Thanks to the lighter flavor profile of the whiskey, the vermouth gets a free pass letting notes of fruity elements and spice fly freely. As the drink warms up, it begins to develop some notes of corn. On the finish a light caramel notes comes out.

In Review – Mellow Corn

Mellow Corn is an interesting and unique offering in Heaven Hill’s line up. It never quite crosses into amazing, but it definitely reaches interesting when on its own. As a sipper, this a fine way to not break the bank and trying something new / pass it around. As a cocktail whiskey – it poses something of a challenge. It clearly can’t hold it’s own against dominate flavors, but simultaneously brings in body. For these reasons, and the unusual classification, we recommend this bottle as a potential straight sipper, but not a bottle to stock in your bar.

Rhum J.M. Blanc

Posted on January 7, 2022November 28, 2021 by Nick

Rhum agricole should not be mistaken for other molasses based rums. Unlike it’s molasses based cousins, rhum agricole is made by distilling fermented sugar cane juice. This results in a funkier, more grassy and herbaceous rhum (as opposed to a spicy, brown sugar, caramel, etc rum). Of the locations that primarily make rhum agricoles is the island of Martinique. This appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) has specific rules around the geographic areas where the rhum can be produced and how it can be made. The result of this is that rhums have very specific characteristics based on their terroir (soil where they’re grown). Among the most well known and available bottles is Rhum J.M. Blanc.

Rhum J.M. Blanc

Sight: Clear

Smell: The nose starts with beautifully herbaceous notes and an interesting funk. The use of sugar cane juice contributes heavily to underlying character of the rhum. Along with the grassy, herbaceous notes, there are elements of lime zest, honey, and floral notes. A bit of heat emerges as well.

Sip: The rhum has a smooth, weighty body. The flavors of sugar cane and herbaceous notes carry over from the nose. Touches of grapefruit zest and a slightly anisette like note come out. Unripe pineapple and spice comes into play as well. There’s just a hint of heat toward the finish.

Savor: The finish pulls out some unripe starfruit, spices, and more floral notes. The finish is long and a little bit warm.

Rhum J.M. Blanc is right in line with the idea of a sugar cane juice distilled rhum. Not only does it convey the agricultural grassy and herbal notes, but it has some fruit characteristics. It is also generally smooth, but not the sort of rhum I’d be tempted to kick back with a glass of. For the best applications, considering mixing.

In Cocktails

In a Ti’ Punch the rhum opens up nicely, bringing out more notes of the citrus zest and hints of fruit. The subtle sweetness allows the hints of spice and tropical fruit to seem more at home. The ending is smoother as well, and with the brightness, it seems to ask for another sip. Overall, it does well showing off more of it’s character while becoming more inviting.

In Review – Rhum J.M. Blanc

One of the reasons we removed Ti’ Punch off the list of cocktails that could be made using bottles from the beginner home bar setup was the lack of cocktails that call for rhum agricoles. The result is that a rum like Rhum J.M. Blanc is not something you need to keep on your bar. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have uses or isn’t appealing. Fans of cachaça for example will find a lot to like here, and those who are deep into Tiki drinks should absolutely check it out. Those just starting their cocktail journey should consider other bottles to add to their collection first.

Bedlam Vodka

Posted on January 3, 2022January 2, 2022 by Nick

Back in 2019 when I was traveling, I came across a rep from Bedlam Vodka who was giving out samples. The flavor was unlike any vodka I’d come across to that point, and I’m hard pressed to think of one that’s similar since. Made at Graybeard Distillery in Durham, NC, Bedlam Vodka aims to be the unvodka. The slogan ‘Vodka Need Not Burn’ is located right at the bottom of the bottle. Made from long grain rice, the aim was to make smoother, softer vodka. Did they succeed and should it have a place in your home bar?

Bedlam Vodka

Sight: Clear

Smell: There’s a vanilla note that’s accompanied by touches of fruitiness and hints of cereal like sweetness. Notes of sake and a subtle creaminess joins in. There’s almost a yogurt like tang and creaminess to the nose.

Sip: The start is smooth and light on the palate. The flavor begins with notes of vanilla, sake notes, and a subtle cereal character. The body is soft and round, feeling lanolin and smooth with just a hint of sweetness.

Savor: The ending carries more ethanol and subtle touches of citrus and fruitiness.

Bedlam Vodka is very smooth and silky on its own. As a result of the smoothness, its enjoyable on it’s own. None of the flavors are particularly powerful, although the sake character is clearly unique to it. Bedlam’s attempt to becoming the unvodka worked, but seems to have accomplished being something that doesn’t quite fit the normal vodka mould.

In Cocktails

In a Kangaroo Bedlam Vodka provides the sensation that the drink may have been spiked with sake. As a result of the long grain rice used in the distillation, the Kangaroo takes on a particularly fruity nature that actually compliments the vermouth in an entirely unexpected way. The drink ends up smooth and highlights the sweetness and bright notes in the herbs. Is it a traditional vodka martini? Certainly not, but it is delicious.

In Review – Bedlam Vodka

Bedlam Vodka is unique and as a result your mileage may vary. The sake like notes are both harmonious and off-putting when compared to most vodkas. In all honesty, I really love Bedlam. I think it’s both unique and flavorful. I’d gladly buy a bottle from time to time if they distributed in my state. That said, I can’t in good faith that Bedlam needs a place in your collection. If you enjoy the flavor of rice distillates or sake, then this is a must try. Other vodkas drinkers may want to exercise caution, and those individuals starting their bar should probably steer clear unless they’re certain they like Bedlams flavor profile.

Bedlam’s Website

First Pour Cocktails 2021 – The Last Sip; A Year In Review

Posted on December 31, 2021December 31, 2021 by Nick

2021 has come and gone in the blink of an eye, and it’s time again to look back on the year that was! This list is an effort to find some highlights and lowlights of the past year, while passing out some well deserved praise.

Year in Review First Pour Cocktails 2021

First off, thank you to everyone that has visited this year (and in years past)! We truly appreciate your readership and support, and look forward to seeing you again in 2022. We’re still small though, growing from about 450 active users a month to 700 by year end. So if you haven’t told a friend yet, please feel free to share our site!

For the year we split this list into two different areas of focus. The first is cocktails, where we’ll round up some of favorites cocktails in a variety of categories (Tiki, Original, Classics) as well as our least favorites we encountered. This list is comprehensive of what we’ve actually posted, and may doesn’t reflect everything we tried.

The second half of this list looks at spirits we’ve tried this year. We’ve broken the categories into 3 distinct selections:

Most Impressive Spirit
Best Value Spirit
Most Disappointing Spirit

Favorite Tiki Classic 2021:

This year was the first we specifically dedicated part of the coverage to Tiki drinks. These complex cocktails bring up warm feelings of island time, and are usually layered with complexity. With about 10 to choose from, we’ve selected 3 nominees.

The Winner – Jet Pilot

We made more Jet Pilots than we care to admit this summer. This boozy rum forward drink is a demonstration of the complexity and layering capability of rums. The result is a drink that changes in unique and fun ways as you switch the rums used in the base. The balance of citrus makes for an incredibly drinkable and balanced cocktail.

Nominees

Singapore Sling – The Singapore Sling is an amazing mix flavors that creates something similar to fruit punch. The complexity is balanced in the perfect way to enjoy them while slipping away in a hammock.
Grog – Fans of the Daiquiri will find a lot to like here, as it’s simple to make and shows off dark rum.

Favorite Classic 2021:

The Classics are a broad and diverse group. While we had a number of standouts, the balance and depth of the winner gave it a slight edge over an impressive group of drinks.

The Winner – Cosmopolitan

We selected the Cosmopolitan as the winner for the simple fact that it is incredibly balanced. When you think of a perfect margarita, the play of sweet, acidic, and boozy matches perfectly. The Cosmopolitan in it’s original form is very much this same outcome, and we encourage you try one in it’s original spec to understand how this drink spread so effectively.

Nominees

The Bebbo
The Preakness
20th Century
The Vesper

Favorite Original Cocktail 2021:

This category is a bit like ranking your children. The entire process is a bit strange and uncomfortable. While they’re all great, we felt one in particular had an edge.

The Winner – Apple Spice Harvest

The balance of fresh apple and floral scotch is intoxicating and well balanced thanks to lemon. It does a beautiful impression of some of the best parts of fall, and is refreshing enough to enjoy over and over again.

Nominees

I Got A Rock
Chocolate Covered Strawberry
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Hot Chocolate
Rudolph’s Nose

Most Impressive Spirit 2021:

This category collects the spirits that most impressed us in their flavors and versatility. Some of these spirits are listed for their ability to add dynamic character to a drink, while others show their strengths as modifiers.

Winner – Mezcal Vago Elote

Mezcal Vago Elote is beautifully floral with touches of smoke and woodsy notes. Bright flavors of citrus and green herbs give an amazingly complex flavor that stokes the desire to sip it on it’s own or in a cocktail. This mezcal is a great gateway to showing what mezcal is capable of – without being a smoke bomb.

Nominees

Siete Leguas
Bozal Ensamble
Four Roses Single Barrel
Crown Royal Peach

Best Value Spirit 2021:

This category is dedicated to spirits that punch above their weight for the dollars they cost. The category is quite large, so we won’t go into depth, but the general feeling is that these spirits represent a level of quality that would be expected in a bottle costing at least 30% more.

Winner – Wild Turkey 101

Wild Turkey 101 is one of the most impressive bourbons available for the price. It packs an amazing amount of quintessential bourbon flavor in for only around $20. Not only does it have incredible flavors that work well for cocktails, but it also is widely available. This combination make it one of the most recommendable bourbons that often sneaks under the radar for many folks new to the world of bourbon. This is important because the bourbon scene is positively mad at the moment, with some secondary markups on bottles being up to 50x their original MSRPs.

Runners Up

These selections deserved something more than a nomination, and just missed out to Wild Turkey for the win.

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength – This is more of everything you love from Makers Mark at less than double the price. If you’re a fan of the original, then you owe it to yourself to try this for around $40.
Lustau Brandy de Jerez Solera Reserva – Cognac is not cheap, and cheap brandy tastes, well, cheap. Lustau manages to split the difference, providing a complex depth of flavor with a budget friendly price in the low $20 range. This is an easy step up from bottom shelf brandies that will massively improve your cocktails.
Doorly’s X.O. Rum – At around $20, Doorly’s X.O. is everything that Kirk and Sweeney 12 wished it could be. Vanilla and caramel drive things, while complex notes of spicing and nuttiness add layers. Definitely worth a try if you have a Total Wine nearby.

Nominees

Four Roses Single Barrel
Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ #1
Eagle Rare 10 Year
Goslings Black Seal Rum
Glenlivet 12
Sobieski Vodka

Most Disappointing Cocktail 2021:

This dubious honor has been reserved for classics. These drinks fell short of the mark, and were generally not what we’d want to drink (or subject our guests to). Try at your own risk.

The Algonquin – Winner

The Algonquin wins thanks to the number of times I’ve made this drink over the past decade, and hated it uniformly. In dedication to sharing the classics, we’ve posted it again. However, dry, rye, pineapple concoctions don’t work for me, and I wish you a better experience than I’ve had.

Nominations:

Barbara West – Barbara West wins the award of being the most boring cocktail that I’ve run across. Nothing here stands out or draws you back, but it is in fact, a cocktail.
Blackthorn (Irish Version) – Unlike the Barbara West, there’s nothing boring going on with the Blackthorn. This cocktail is wildly inconsistent, and ranges across the flavor spectrum without ever reaching anything approaching balance or harmony. Just a crazy mix of flavors.

Most Disappointing Spirit 2021:

I debated this category when putting together this list. Suffice it to say that we felts a special level of shame was reserved for certain spirits we experienced this year. Given it was such a short list, it speaks to the general quality out there.

The Winner – Elijah Craig Straight Rye

Elijah Craig Straight Rye was much hyped and took it’s sweet time getting here to Ohio. The end result is a rye that’s been extensively hyped and branded, but punches below it’s cost (even from it’s own distilling group). It’s $5-10 more expensive than Rittenhouse Rye but not as rich or spiced, and $10-15 less expensive than Pikesville which provides a higher proof and deeper, more complex flavor profile.

Nominations:

The Dubliner – Really all of the Irish Whiskey we’ve tried and written up haven’t impressed, but the Dubliner takes the distinction this year. It doesn’t commit any particularly serious transgression, but is remarkably unremarkable. We’re almost back to Irish Whiskey season, so please send me your recommendations!

Honorable Mentions:

We wanted to call out two different spirits that haven’t received any formal coverage on the site, but that we felt were among the best things we drank this year.

Little Book 2
Willett Rye 4 Year Family Estate

Russian Standard Vodka

Posted on December 23, 2021December 16, 2021 by Nick

Russian Standard Vodka is made with wheat like Grey Goose, it hails from Russia, and is distilled four times. As the original is the entry level vodka, you can expect more purification steps and distillations as you go up their line. Despite their story, this brand has only been around since 1998. They also use vodka.com as their website. So you have to think with that sort of branding that it’s going to have to be good vodka, right?

Russian Standard Vodka

Sight: Clear

Smell: A sweet cereal note comes out with a touch of vanillin to start. A hint of earthiness and fruitiness also comes through. The nose is clean smelling and with little alcohol burn.

Sip: The body is smooth and full, with just a bit of heat at the end. Subtle notes of cereal grain and charcoal minerality come out. There’s a slight touch of alcohol and bitterness.

Savor: The finish has a slightly charcoal and winter wheat note.

Russian Standard Vodka is clean, simple, and flavored in a way that is enjoyable and inoffensive. The flavor profile has just the subtlest touches of wheat and charcoal, but ultimately the flavor comes across as smooth and near flavorless. These characteristics are nice, and could offer some solid sippability.

In Cocktails

In a Kangaroo is works wonderfully, smoothly conveying its own character while displaying harmony with the vermouth. The notes of vanillin and the minerality amplify, giving a nice backbone to the herbal and bright notes that begin to flow into drink. There’s even room for a nice touch of spice that pops out. Overall, the general cohesiveness of the vodka is impressive.

In Review – Russian Standard Vodka

Russian Standard Vodka performed admirably on both the straight sipping and cocktail side of things. The make up of this vodka is similar to competitors like Grey Goose and Summum. The fact that it undercuts them on price, and delivers a similar level of quality means that Russian Standard is deserving of consideration. Given all of the positives, we recommend that you consider adding a bottle of Russian Standard Vodka to your bar whether you’re starting or looking to replace your current standard. It just works.