Pure Spirits: Citadelle No Mistake Old Tom Gin & Once won’t hurt

Today it’s once again a gin’s turn. However, it is not about an ordinary gin but an Old Tom Gin. Even a matured Old Tom Gin, to be precise. And even though I’ve reviewed a lot of gins here on the blog in the past, I have not written about an Old Tom Gin yet. So what exactly is that genuine British gin category? And can the French do a good Old Tom Gin? Read More

Kamehameha Rum Punch

Today I would like to introduce a cocktail that I personally like to drink a lot but which is usually not named among the most prominent of its genre. And it is not a down-to-earth classic from an ancient cocktail tome but a drink from the world of tiki drinks which is often considered to be an ambivalent cocktail category. Nonetheless, the drink is not a spring chicken at all. Read More

Pure Spirits: By the Dutch Batavia Arrack and The Vanilla & Spice Punch

If you are concerned about spirits and their history, sooner or later there will be no way around Arrack. I am explicitly talking about Arrack and not Arak. You will probably also come upon the latter, but it is far from being as famous and much less common. But what exactly is Arrack (or Batavia-Arrack, to be precise) and what is its place in the history of cocktails? Today I would like to explain this while also reviewing a concrete example. Read More

Pure Spirits: The Amber Falernum & The Corn ‘n’ Oil

For a long time (at least in Germany), Falernum was an exotic ingredient that only few knew, which was hard to get and which some therefore even avoided to use. Besides the Velvet Falernum, for many years there were basically no real alternatives, at least if you did not want to make a Falernum yourself from rum, sugar and spices. The latter can be definitely worth the effort, but of course it takes a lot of time to do it and you probably have to face some unsuccessful attempts. So it is very nice indeed that the market situation has changed in the meantime. Read More

Shiragiku Yuzu & Sake Raspberry Tonic

I was quite busy during the last days with a variety of things and so there is a slightly larger timespan than usual between my last article and today’s. Nevertheless, (or even because of that) it is very nice to return with a wonderful drink and also being able to explore the possibilities of a beverage that is unfortunately rather under-represented behind the bar: Sake. Read More

Pure Spirits: Mount Gay XO Barbados Rum & The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club


Today’s article focuses on two things: a rum and a cocktail. In terms of rum we are dealing with the Mount Gay XO, a molasses rum that won many awards, while the cocktail is also an internationally known classic: The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. When it comes to the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, however, there are a few inconsistencies and I hope I this article will bring some light into some confusing aspects, for instance why a Bermuda cocktail calls for a Barbados rum. Read More