Category Archives: reviews

Contratto Vermouth

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contratto vermouth

Vermouth is an essential ingredient to many classic cocktails and is one of the first bottles you should buy for your home bar. Vermouth is an aromatized and fortified wine, like Sherry or Port. It lasts longer than wine, but once a bottle of vermouth is opened, it should be used within a month or two and you should keep it in the fridge so it stays fresh.

As I continue to learn more about vermouth, there’s something that you should also know as a home bartender: the difference between good (expensive) vermouth and bad (cheap) vermouth is huge. Cheap vermouths are often overly bitter and pretty abrasive, which has led to dryer and dryer martinis being served in bars (because cheap vermouth that’s long past it’s expiration date is especially awful). As much as my maven nature wants to fight it, it’s time to settle this once and for all: there’s no such thing as a vermouth that’s both good and cheap.

Which brings us to Contratto: a quality Italian vermouth that will run you about $30 a bottle:

Contratto Bianco is their “dry” version, a vermouth with a wonderful sweet citrus flavor – grapefruit with a touch of orange. This vermouth is so good, you should try it on the rocks at the start of a nice fish dinner. For martinis with Bianco, don’t garnish with the traditional olive, but add a lemon twist instead.

Contratto Rosso is a copper/brown and has a stronger, more bitter nose to it. It musky and woody and tastes like cloves, cinnamon, and bitter chocolate. It makes an amazing Manhattan, and yes, this one is also good enough to drink on it’s own. Try it neat with your dessert in the place of port.

Even though I’m very price-sensitive when I shop, I have had enough great vermouth now to know that the extra money spent on a quality bottle of vermouth, like Contratto or Vya, makes such a massive difference in the quality of my home cocktails, it’s impossible to ignore the value of it.

Ubon’s Hot & Spicy Bloody Mary Mix

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ubons hot & spicy

Bloody Marys are a strange cocktail for me to grapple with at Simple Cocktails. I’m big on pushing for natural, fresh cocktail ingredients, but a Bloody Mary is almost by nature not simple, and they often tip the scales at 10 ingredients or more. My personal solution to this is to find quality Bloody Mary mixes that I can keep in the fridge and mix with my favorite vodka come brunchtime.

I’ve reviewed Ubon’s Bloody Mary mix before, and now they have just released a Pitmaster’s Hot & Spicy version that I really wanted to try. So far, Ubon’s and Zing Zang have been my favorite mixes, and I preferred the thickness of Ubon’s, but the spiciness of Zing Zang. As you’d imagine, a thick Bloody Mary mix with extra spice would be a perfect recipe for me.

Pitmaster’s is the thickest and tastiest Bloody Mary mix I’ve had yet. The spiciness is pretty understated and not something to be nervous about. In fact, I used UV’s Sriracha Vodka in it, and it was the perfect level of heat for me (I like my Bloody Marys pretty spicy).

Ubon’s Pitmaster’s runs about $10 a bottle online, and if you’re closer to Mississippi or East Texas, you’re likely to find it at retail for about that price too.

Genius Gin

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genius gin

Genius Gin is from Austin, Texas, a first product from a fairly new distillery. I got the opportunity to grab a bottle, and I’ve spent several weeks trying to get my head around it. Here’s what I think.

The botanicals in Genius include juniper (of course), cardamom, coriander, lime peel, lime leaf, and lavender. The last three ingredients take the taste of Genius is the direction of New American Gins like Aviation, Dry Fly, or Prairie, not a bitey, traditional London Dry like Tanqueray, Beefeater, or even Crater Lake. Genius Gin is a touch sweet, mild, and fruity, and because of this, the more common gin cocktails don’t work so great with it. I tried a martini and gin and tonic, and Genius’ mildness made it vanish with the stronger, more bitter vermouth or tonic.

Because I have spent a while with my bottle of Genius, and I have found some cocktails that work really well with it. Try these out:

Pink Gin

  • 2 oz gin
  • 2-3 dashes of bitters
  • (Angostura will make the Pink Gin more pink, or Peychauds will make a more red Pink Gin)
  • stir vigorously with lots of ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Austin Spritzer (by Greg Mays)

  • in a rocks glass filled with ice, serve:
  • 2 oz Genius Gin
  • 2 oz club soda
  • garnish with several fresh blackberries and raspberries

Trinity Absinthe

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trinity absinthe

Trinity Absinthe Superieure is distilled in Loveland, Colorado by Overland Distillery. As a southwesterner, I’ve been pretty proud of the liquors we’re producing in New Mexico and Colorado, and have found many of them to be excellent.

Trinity arrives in a 375 ml bottle for about $40, which is a pretty typical price range for Absinthe as it runs 60% ABV and above. This absinthe surprised me in that it pours a more pale yellow color as opposed to the traditional green. I drank this the usual way: 1 oz of absinthe in a glass topped with very cold water poured slowly over a sugar cube. As you can see in the photo above, Trinity clouded up nicely (called the “louche“).

I think I may have discovered the source of that yellow color. Trinity has a cool lemony citrus flavor that causes it to drink exceptionally easy, which is a good thing as some brands of absinthe can be overwhelming on the tongue. I like the anise-licorice bite of absinthe, but the touch of citrus in Trinity adds a nice flavor balance that I like.

Trinity is an absinthe that’s worthwhile and a really enjoyable addition to a connoisseur’s collection. While it’s a craft absinthe, it’s a bit easier to find than some others, and their distribution is currently in 6 states in a pretty wide spread across the country. If you’re a fan of absinthe, track some down and give it a try.

Licor 43

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licor 43

Licor 43 is a liqueur (sweetened liquor) from Spain that’s celebrating it’s 90th anniversary this year. It has a very good vanilla-and-spice flavor that makes this a very good choice for a liqueur in your home bar, since it goes well with lots of mixers, from vodka to rum, coffee, caramel, or even a rich, dark beer (like a stout).

Here are some cocktails I tried with Licor 43, including their “Mini Beer” shot:

43 & V (by Greg Mays)

  • 1 1/2 oz Licor 43
  • 1 1/2 oz of vodka
  • build in a glass with a stir stick and serve on the rocks

Mini Beer

  • Fill a mini beer mug (or shot glass) with Licor 43 and top with well-shaken heavy cream. Pour the cream slowly so it floats on top. I found that the longer you let the cream sit, the more it will separate to the top.

Crystal Head Vodka

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crystal head vodka

Crystal Head is an vodka bottle that I’m sure you’ve seen in stores: a crystal-clear, shotput sized skull filled with Canadian vodka. You’ve probably also heard how Dan Akroyd is a 1/2 owner of the brand – he appears on some of their advertising.

Crystal head is a top-shelf vodka brand, competing with Grey Goose, Belvedere, and others. There’s 2 things that classify this as top shelf: first, it’s about $50 a bottle, and second, the artist-designed glass decanter that it arrives in is awesomely cool. There’s other selling points here, like that it’s quadruple distilled through diamonds from Canadian sweet corn, it’s made with Newfoundland glacial water…. all of these are what we have become used to hearing when a brand establishes why their vodka is superior.

So let’s get to taste. Crystal Head is mild with little alcohol burn. Tasted straight, it’s a touch earthy, and I’d just call it clean. I sipped a glass on the rocks and it was pleasant and smooth.

Time for some obvious questions here: is Crystal Head as good as other $50 vodkas I’ve tried? No. Is it better than bottom shelf $10 vodkas? Absolutely! In my book, Crystal Head is really a package deal: decent quality vodka and the coolest decanter I can think of makes Crystal Head a fair buy at $50. This is the only liquor bottle that I will keep when it’s empty so that I can continue using it as a decanter for my spirits.

Dry Fly Gin

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dry fly gins

Dry Fly is one of the Pacific Nothwest’s awesome distilleries, and I have enjoyed some great gins from their neighbors at Captive Spirits and 206 Distillery. I tried two Dry Fly gins: Washington Dry and Barrel Reserve, (a special-edition aged gin).

I would compare the flavor of Dry Fly Gin to both Aviation and Bilberry Black Hearts. Right off the bat, there’s a surprising sweetness, something like a combination of blueberries and wildflowers. I imagine the wheat they use to distill their gin gives it some sweetness too. Based on that flavor profile, maybe serve Dry Fly with tea, or in a Martini that’s a more soft, floral sip (with a lemon twist instead of an olive). If there was such a thing as the opposite of London Dry gin, Dry Fly might be it. It’ll run you $30 a bottle.

Now take that gin and put it in a barrel, and Dry Fly Barrel Reserve Gin emerges. There’s no reason to hold back here: I loved the taste of this gin. Barrel Reserve starts as cinnamon-spice thing that’s not at all harsh, then moves to an almond, then butter finish. It was more like experiencing a complex, flavorful rye whiskey than and gin I’ve had. Maybe it’s the softness of the original gin, or maybe they aged it in an awesome barrel….but this is a successful flavor experiment for sure. You’ll pay about $30 for Barrel Reserve too, in the 1/2 bottle size you see above,. It surely won’t not last longer than a week at my house.

Jose Cuervo Cinge (Cinnamon Tequila)

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jose cuervo cinged carmel aple cocktail

Jose Cuervo Cinge is a new cinnamon-infused tequila that retails for about $18. As you may know, Cuervo is the top-selling tequila brand in the world, and since vodka and whiskey have embraced the flavored liquor trend, it’s no surprise to see tequila flavors, too.

Cinge is sweet and spicy, though mostly spicy, vaguely reminding me of a Fireball candy. Because Cuervo isn’t a 100% agave brand, the mugginess of tequila is eclipsed by the cinnamon burn, and your lips will be left sticky and sweet. Cinge has a unique flavor that makes for some fun cocktail recipes, and since tequila mixes well with apple, here’s a recipe for you to try:

Firey Cinged Apple (by Greg Mays)

  • 2 oz Jose Curevo Cinge
  • 2 oz apple juice
  • 1 oz caramel liqueur (I used Lovoka)
  • stir and serve on the rocks

Jack Daniel’s Winter Jack Tennessee Cider

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winter jack daniel's

Arriving for winter is a seasonal version of Jack Daniel’s that’s meant to be drunk hot: Winter Jack Tennessee Cider. Wrapped in a snowy-white label, Winter Jack is lighter in color than it’s namesake, and considerably lighter in alcohol: just 15% vs. Jack’s usual 40%.

Depending on where you are in the world, this will either be called Tennessee Cider or Tennessee Apple Whiskey Punch, but it’s the same Winter Jack regardless of the subtitle. It’s described on the label as “a seasonal blend of apple cider liqueur & Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey,” and it ends up taking just like that: a little Jack, a little apple, some cinnamon and spice.

Really, Winter Jack is made to be an easy cider for a snowy day: pour it in a coffee mug, heat it up, drink and repeat. Winter Jack will run you $15-20 a bottle, and there are 30 states that it’ll be distributed to in the U.S., though the list excludes my home state of New Mexico, so we’ll have to take a road trip to Colorado or Texas to get some.

Bees vs Trees: Maple Whiskey

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maple whiskies

This week we’re doing a two-part series called Bees vs. Trees, in which I taste a bunch of honey whiskies (the Bees) and maple whiskies (the Trees). Today, the Trees get the spotlight as maple is a fairly new whiskey flavor that’s gaining popularity. Just as an educational note, there is a very blurry line between whether these are, by definition, flavored whiskies or strong liqueurs, since they usually have added sugars as well.

I imagine you’ve experienced the fact that the smell of maple really dominates the air when you’ve got some out. These whiskeys are no different: just an open bottle of one of these is enough to fill your entire house with the smell of maple. Surprisingly, though, while maple gets all up in your senses, the flavor that gets delivered to your tongue is much more tame, which may also be because most of these (unlike their Bee brethren) are 40% ABV or higher.

Cabin Fever Maple 

  • Cost: $20
  • Description: “A 3 year old whisky that is infused with real grade B dark maple.”
  • Alcohol: 40%
  • The flavor experience with Cabin Fever can be summed up in one word: butterscotch. It dominates your palate, it’s creamy, it’s rich, and from start to finish, this is a butterscotch experience. It seems like a great fit in a hot, boozy tea this winter – I’m working on a recipe right now.

Crown Royal Maple Finished

  • Cost: $25
  • Description: “Fine DeLuxe Maple Flavored Whisky.”
  • Alcohol: 40%
  • Truthfully, I am not a fan of Crown Royal and generally don’t have it in my home bar. This variety is nice and strong, and sweet maple is all in the smell. The whiskey itself is more of a drier, nuttier experience, and does not align with the initial smell, since it’s much more subtle and strong. We liked it better than “regular” Crown, and I imagine this pairing well with a cigar. The bottle comes is a cool brown version of the iconic Crown bag, too. #bonus

Knob Creek Smoked Maple

  • Cost: $30
  • Description: “Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey with natural flavors.”
  • Alcohol: 45%
  • Alright, tell the kids to leave the room, because it’s serious whiskey time. Knob Creek is the highest % alcohol of any of the Bees or Trees, and it delivers. While there is certainly the maple smell wandering out of the bottle, this is a serious whiskey at a serious alcohol level. There is only the faintest trace of maple on the finish, and drinking this reminded me some of my Maple Old Fashioned: good whiskey, a little maple. Knob Creek may be the only option from this whole series for stuffy or serious whiskey sippers.

Jim Beam Maple

  • Cost: $16
  • Description: “Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey infused with natural flavors.”
  • Alcohol: 35%
  • The only brand in this series to play for both teams, Beam delivers a maple version of their classic bourbon. While the label says maple, we found it carried more of a toasted marshmallow experience through the senses – less maple, and more…..just sweet. I imagine there will be several appearances of Beam Maple in Fall cocktails, and it’s probably a better fit as a mixer than a sipper.