Topanito Mezcal Artesanal Blanco 52% and the Bittered Piña Mezcalita

The name Topanito will not only be familiar to loyal readers of my blog by now. When I look back on my article from 2016 and notice how I tried to explain tequila as also being a “premium spirit” which must be differentiated from less appealing qualities, in 2020 this seems a bit strange. Sometimes it’s really amazing how quickly situations change, because by now hardly anyone should doubt that tequila can do more than salt, lemon and convulsion. And of course, many have long since also learned about the Mezcal category. Read More

Calvados Coquerel VSOP & Calvados Coquerel XO

One of the perhaps most underestimated spirit types is Calvados. Considering that it is a classic, cask-matured and strictly regulated type of spirit (such as whisk(e)y or cognac), it is a little surprising how seldom you come across calvados as a cocktail ingredient, but also as a sipping spirit. However, there is a real community of Calvados lovers out there. And of course there are also very good Calvados cocktails. Read More

Got Milk? – “Tea, Earl Grey, Cold & Clarified!”

Okay, two things kept playing on my mind this weekend: The new Picard series and a social network discussion about Clarified Milk Punches. Today’s article – which is an unusually short one – focuses on these two topics. It is not really difficult to understand why. Therefore, off to the replicator, the tea is already cold! Read More

Freimeisterkollektiv Mahembe Kaffeegeist & Mahembe Mai Tai

Today I’ll make it rather short. This is mainly because the drink we are going to talk about today is based on ingredients that I have only reviewed here in the last few days. Well, almost: I’ve written about the truly exceptional product range from the Freimeisterkollektiv in general (and also presented some of them in detail), but not about the specific bottling of the range that will be used today: the Freimeisterkollektiv Mahembe Kaffeegeist. Read More

Freimeisterkollektiv Krauseminze & The Deconstructed Rye Julep

Mint is not just mint – this becomes quickly clear to every cocktail enthusiast. Nevertheless, it is by no means clear to everyone since especially many first attempts by beginners can lead to unexpected results. A cocktail that calls for fresh mint (and countless recipes do) stands or falls with the choice of the right mint. And that mint is generally known as spearmint or green mint, which, unlike peppermint, does not contain menthol. If you confuse the two, you will notice this immediately. If you mix them up in a cocktail and add peppermint instead of (green) mint, it usually ruins the whole drink immediately. Neither a mojito nor a mint julep should make you feel like drinking peppermint candy. Read More