Published July 2020 at Distiller Magazine, my bottle column covers trends and reviews international spirits here, with taste ratings:
Tag: Amaro/Vermouth
DISTILLER Magazine: My New Bottle Column
Published February 3, 2020, at Distiller Magazine, my new bottle column covers trends and reviews international spirits. This first column calls out 2019 releases and trends in rum, clairin, gin, vermouth, whiskey, coffee liqueur, absinthe, coffee amaro, bourbon and Japanese whisky here.
The Rise of Vermouth
Lustau Rose Vermut (Photo courtesy of Lustau www.lustau.es) Published at NYC’s new Barcademy, my feature on the ongoing rise of vermouth (vermut in Spain) internationally, from its Italian, Spanish, French roots to its US producers and pioneers (starting with California’s Quady Winery in the 1990s). I also hear from Spain’s Lustau Master Blender and Quality Director, Fernando Pérez, on vermouth/vermut… Read more →
54 MINT: Transported to Italy with Rare Italian Spirits & Burrata Foam-Topped Cocktails
I’m transported straight back to Italy. But it’s not the housemade pasta, classic Negronis or the hanging prosciutto. This is all transporting, certainly, but I can find this in numerous Italian havens in San Francisco. With Japan a close second, Italy is my favorite country, a place I’ve traveled to multiple times in numerous regions. I crave and long for… Read more →
Top 10 New Spirits Releases of the Summer
Almost daily, I’m tasting a wide range of spirits, wines and beers, whether at restaurants and bars, distilleries, wineries or breweries or as samples crossing my desk. Over the past few months, there have been many new spirits releases, including these spring and winter releases since the year began. I’ve been having fun experimenting with cocktails with recently released Cent-Anni… Read more →
3 Spirits Picks for December in Vermouth, Scotch & Rum
Many spirits cross my desk — or are tasted at numerous bars or distilleries — in any given month. For December, here are 3 international spirits — vermouth, rum and Scotch— that stood out or offer something different. BroVo Vermouths ($18) I’ve been having fun with BroVo’s brand new line of vermouths — and was already a fan of their… Read more →
6 New West Coast Spirits
Article by Virginia Miller; photos from brand websites except where noted [Taken from my ZAGAT article on 4 New Local Spirits to Try, I have also added two additional recommended spirits, another one from California, and one from Oregon]: In the scheme of quality spirits, each of these is fantastic. Even better, they’re all made locally from Sonoma to Mountain… Read more →
7 Washington Craft Spirits You Should Know
Article and Photos (unless otherwise noted) by Virginia Miller Three Seattle visits in the past seven months centered around craft distillery and cocktail bar research means a few spirits have stood out among the dozens I’ve tasted from Washington state, most launched in recent years. Here are my top seven from the glut of craft distillers hitting the Washington market:… Read more →
Adventures in Bassano del Grappa, Italy — Hometown of Grappa
Visiting a Grappa Legend & a Hidden Absinthe Bar Article and photos by Virginia Miller This October I spent a magical day in the birthplace of grappa, enchanting Bassano del Grappa, a Northern Italian town (in the Veneto region) on the river Brenta at the base of the Italian Alps. Grappa, a grape-based brandy, is integral to Italian culture and… Read more →
Oakland’s New Spirits Shop Extraordinaire
ALCHEMY BOTTLE SHOP, Oakland (3256 Grand Avenue, temporary number: 415-553-0803) Oakland will soon have a spirits shop to delight spirits and cocktail lovers. Alchemy Bottle Shop, from Tova Herman, formerly in the wine industry, and Peter Mustacich, who quit his Financial District day job (where he frequently spent breaks at Cask) to open their Grand Avenue spirits shop, is going… Read more →