Lakrids and Spirits (Part 2)

At the beginning of last month I did already publish an article on that subject and today I’d like to continue with that. So if you should now be asking yourself: What? Liquorice and spirits? – I can only recommend you to first have a look on that article. I hope that I am briefly answering these questions in there. Today, however, I will present some new combinations with limited, seasonal varieties of Lakrids. Read More

Pure Spirits: Plantation Vintage Edition Jamaica 2002 & Plantation Vintage Edition Trinidad 2003

The concept of “terroir” is not as common in the context of high-quality spirits as it is in the world of wine, but it is a concept most connoisseurs a quite familiar with. The lack of a corresponding word in many other languages ​​has led to the fact that it has become an internationally accepted term for the particular characteristics of a certain place and their effects on the characteristics of a certain product. The fact that this is also very important when it comes to rum is becoming more and more known in recent years. Today’s rums follow exactly this idea. Read More

Pure Spirits: Príncipe de los Apóstoles Mate Gin

Not only in Spain but actually in almost the entire Spanish-speaking world the Gin & Tonic is perhaps the trend drink in bars and clubs. Although “trend” is not the right word anymore, rather the Gin & Tonic has become a real institution in these countries and is even more popular than you might think. I also encountered the presentation in a wine glass or the special “Copa Balon” with the addition of various herbs and citrus peels for the first time in a Spanish hotel. So it is no wonder that more and more new gin creations have recently also emerged from South America. Read More

Pure Spirits: Plantation “3 Stars” Rum & Chupacabras Daiquiri

I have not counted every single reference to one of the most famous cocktails in the world here on the blog: I am talking about the Daiquiri. And it’s not so long since I’ve dedicated an own blog article to the drink. Personally, however, I prefer to have that cocktail in a slightly varied way, the so-called Chupacabras Daiquiri. But before I go into detail here, I first want to write about a certain bottle of rum. Read More

Helen can’t quit smoking

Maybe you have heard about the famous French dessert “Poire belle Hélène”, also known as Birne Helene in Germany. In Germany there is a very famous movie (almost everybody knows it) made by a famous comedian in 1991 where a dispute about the proper recipe for Birne Helene is one of the running gags. But I’m not telling you this because I want to discuss the correct ingredients for this dessert but rather to explain where the idea for today’s cocktail came from. Read More

Tobiume (Flying Plum)

The drink I would like to present today is the result of a quite unusual approach. I was guided by a simple association of colors and quickly decided to try wherever it’ll lead me. Finally I ended up with a slightly modified variant of a classic, what is not a bad thing, of course, since it is often a classic that becomes the inspiration for new ideas. And that’s what happened with today’s Tobiume cocktail. Read More

Pure Spirits: Derrumbes Michoacan Mezcal

I have been looking forward to writing about this bottle for a while and I was very excited how it would perform in the tasting. It is once again an article about a mezcal, although it is a mezcal which has one or the other special feature and definitely promises a lot of quality. And by the way it offers a really eye-catching and very beautiful design. Read More

Pure Spirits: Feiner Kappler Fruit Brandies & Feiner Kappler Green Nut Liqueur

Today’s spirits lead us to Baden-Württemberg, to the idyllic Badische Achertal on the edge of the Schwarzwald, where the peaceful village of Kappelrodeck is located. Throughout the whole region various fruit varieties grow in orchards for a long time due to the larger amount sunlight (at least compared with the conditions in other parts of Germany). It is therefore no wonder that the craft of distilling has a long tradition which is in particularly specialized on fruit brandies. In today’s article I would therefore like to introduce a series of fruit brandies from the region which I will also critically review here. Read More

The Old Orchard

Calvados – the barrel-aged apple and pear brandy from the French Normandy region has always been a classic ingredient in the history of bar culture, but it has recently lost some of its popularity. Like Cognac, Calvados has gained the reputation of being a little outdated what is definitely the wrong way of looking at this particular type of spirit. At least it absolutely meets my personal taste regardless of what some people might think. Read More