by Sean Ludford | Jun 29, 2016 | Spirits
Gin is surely a polarizing spirit as longtime Gin drinkers are often dug-in for their preferred style while far to many cocktail drinkers are Ginphobic. In my years of writing Gin features for various publications in addition to BevX I have received the confession of many bartenders who admitted to sneaking Gin in the cocktails of patron who had indicated an aversion to the spirit....
by Sean Ludford | Jun 8, 2016 | Spirits
Recently the beloved “Most Interesting Man in the World,” rocketed off on a one-way journey to Mars. Is this the end of era? Perhaps the real Most Interesting Man in the World was never a Dos Equis pitchman rather hiding in plain sight in Ponce, Puerto Rico? Roberto Serrallés grew up in a Rum producing family, Destilería Serrallés makers of the Don Q Rums,...
by Sean Ludford | May 11, 2016 | Spirits
In recent weeks BevX had the opportunity and pleasure to try two exciting craft spirits from Frey Ranch. We were first struck by the very smart and contemporary packaging. Of course the proof is always in the glass so when we discovered that their Gin and Vodka were not just good but first rate we were hooked. I dug into the press material but...
by Sean Ludford | Apr 27, 2016 | Spirits, Travel
Recently I made a visit to Driftless Glen Distillery, a relatively new craft distillery, located in Baraboo, WI. Craft distilleries have become a national phenomenon and have also become so ubiquitous that it’s worth giving them a critical look. It’s no longer good enough to be “local” as most bars, restaurants, and even retailers can attest. In the recent past being the local distiller...
by Sean Ludford | Mar 9, 2016 | Spirits
In a world that is becoming increasingly smaller with each year, you are hard-pressed to find yourself far away from an Irish Pub regardless of your location. Stuck in Manila? I can point you to a great Paddy bar. Ditto for Reykjavík, Rome, Bordeaux, Guadalajara, Munich, Brussels, Hong Kong, and just about anyplace that tolerates the fine art of drinking. The Irish Pub is...
by Sean Ludford | Feb 24, 2016 | Sean’s Rant, Spirits
In recent days Compass Box (a brand of unique blended Scotch Whiskies) has launched their Scotch Whisky Transparency Campaign (SWTC). It’s a complicated issue to be sure but at the heart of it all is the fact that EU regulations prohibit Whisky makers from revealing the components of their blends most notably the age of the spirits utilized in the blend. The current laws...
