Ron Abuelo makes a line of fine rums, including the Ron Abuelo Anejo and the Ron Abuelo 7 Anos. The latter is a blend of Panamanian rums produced entirely from estate-grown sugar cane and then aged seven years in small oak barrels. Ron Abuelo 7 Anos is a rich, amber-colored rum with aromas of vanilla, caramel and fresh sugar cane. Flavors range from more vanilla and caramel to cocoa, toffee and honey. That sweetness fades in the finish, with lingering notes of dry leather and citrus. It’s exceedingly easy to sip, and even rum novices will be hard-pressed to find...

Let’s ring in 2012 the way we left 2011 – with a nice buzz. New Year’s Eve calls for Champagne, but if you want to augment your drinking with something more than a bottle of bubbly, try some easy-to-make Champagne cocktails. Last year we covered the aptly-named Champagne Cocktail, the French 75 and the Death in the Afternoon as worthy New Year’s Eve cocktails. Any of those will do the trick. Or try one of these festive drinks. Italian 76 2 oz gin 1/2 oz Aperol 1/2 lemon juice 1/2 oz simple syrup Prosecco Shake first four ingredients with ice. Strain into a coupe and top with...

Camus is a prolific maker of Cognacs, registering as the fifth largest Cognac house in the world. But until recently, Camus Cognacs weren’t available to the U.S. market, and it’s still a mostly unknown brand inside the states. Camus produces a handful of product ranges including Excellence, Rarissimes, Borderies and the Masterpiece Collection. Sitting near the top of the Excellence range is Camus XO, the focus of this review. XO or ‘extra old,’ designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is aged for no less than six years, but often is aged upwards of 15...

Fernet, that most bitter of Italian amari, has reached cult-like status in recent years. It’s a favorite shot for bartenders, a popular digestivo in San Francisco – Northern California accounts for nearly 40% of all Fernet Branca’s U.S. sales – and is often mixed with Coke in Argentina. But as Camper English notes, until now, a call for Fernet has almost exclusively meant Fernet Branca, the most widely available brand of the Italian liqueur. Hoping to change that, two companies will begin giving consumers more choices in their Fernet consumption. Camper’s San Francisco Chronicle article reports that drinkers can expect to...

Hendrick’s Gin has been busy this holiday season, having recently unveiled its Enchanted Forest of Curiosities in San Francisco and Brooklyn. The snowy indoor scene was brought to life with trees, woodland creatures and bizarre performances – think ukulele bands and sword swallowers. Also, cocktails. Guests enjoyed Hendrick's cocktails created by Brand Ambassador Jim Ryan. Hendrick’s Gin is comprised of 11 botanicals, including the very distinct infusions of cucumber and rose petals, which gives it great application in cocktails. Like the fine libations detailed below. Alaskan Sour 1 ½ oz Hendrick’s Gin ¾ oz Yellow Chartreuse ½ oz Simple Syrup ½ oz Lemon Juice ¼ oz...

Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky traces its roots back to 1907, when explorer Ernest Shackleton fortified his Antarctic expedition with several cases of his favorite whiskey from the Glen Mhor distillery in Inverness, Scotland. Shackleton and his men ultimately failed to reach the South Pole, and they sailed for home in 1909, leaving behind three crates of the precious whiskey buried in ice. It stayed this way until 2007, when fortuitous members of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust happened upon the hundred-year-old hooch. Whyte & Mackay – owners of the Mackinlay brand – analyzed the remaining stock, and master...

Denizen Rum is a new white rum that harkens back to the days of yore, when white rums were full-flavored spirits to be both sipped and enjoyed in complex cocktails. To achieve its desired flavor profile, Denizen enlisted rums from Trinidad and Jamaica and expert rum blenders from Holland. Denizen Rum starts with column-distilled rums from the Angostura Distillery that are charcoal-filtered and aged up to five years in small bourbon barrels. From there, 15 types of Jamaican pot-distilled rums are added to the mix and blended in Amsterdam (a city that’s been blending rums since the 1700s, when the...

The holidays are approaching, which means our inboxes are being inundated with holiday cocktail recipes. We’ll include some of the better ones below and will continue updating this post as drinks roll in. Here’s to happy and festive drinking this holiday season. Hot Gin Punch 24 oz Hendrick’s Gin 24 oz Madeira wine 6 lemon twists 1 orange slice 3 large chunks pineapple 3 oz honey 1 oz fresh lemon juice 3 cloves 1 pinch ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon brown sugar Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan over low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. To serve, strain and pour the hot mixture into a punch bowl...

With the introduction of Heaven Hill’s Red State and Blue State bourbons, voters can now wear their political affiliations on their whiskey bottles. The new bourbons are identical except for packaging, so the politically apathetic can choose based on color or animal preference. Heaven Hill hopes the dueling bourbons will create a lot of buzz going into the 2012 Presidential elections. Chances are good, as political doublespeak and lofty campaign promises often drive people to drink. Whether Red State and Blue State bourbons will fuel the fire or create a more mellow atmosphere for conversation is unclear. But we’ve yet...

The Glenrothes makes a range of fine whiskies, including the Select Reserve. This bottling is a rarity for the Speyside distillery, as The Glenrothes typically releases vintage-dated whiskies, like the 1985 and 1998. Bottled at 80 proof and lacking some of the character seen in its older brothers, the Select Reserve is like an entry-level introduction to the brand. But a good one, at that. The Glenrothes Select Reserve pours light gold and gives aromas of vanilla, malt, ripe fruits and a touch of briny sea air. Take a sip and find lots of malty sweetness, vanilla, zesty orange and...