Words On Wednesday

After discovering that Costco's Tequila Reposado was almost identical in price per volume to their Tequila Blanco , I had to compare the two. Name: Tequila Reposado Source: Kirkland Signature Style: Tequila ABV: 40% Price: $14.49 Volume: 1L Price per oz: $0.43 I uncorked the new bottle and poured a shot of each side by side. Fortunately, I had a single shot left from the Blanco for the comparison. This would equip me with the information to decide if I would buy another bottle of Blanco or just start keeping Reposado on hand. Most obviously, the color of the Reposado was pretty visibly darker. Not quite bourbon or black rum dark, but something like a watered down cola. The Blanco is indistinguishable from water at a glance. Although I am frequently advised against it, I always have to smell a new alcohol before I drink it. The Reposado didn't really have much of a smell. I'm not sure if it's because of less volatile esters or if something about the process remov...

The first "Thirsty Thursday Eve" of the new year, but certainly not the first in this series. I arrived at a somewhat unexpected drink for January. The AI recommendation went in some fairly standard directions for January: either low-calorie drinks to appeal to resolutions about health and weight loss, quintessential winter drinks, or "classics" for some reason. January Theme 1: New Year, New You.  Focus on lighter, low-sugar cocktails or drinks made with invigorating, fresh ingredients like citrus or herbs. Theme 2: Winter Warmers.  Explore boozy hot drinks like a Spiked Hot Chocolate, a Hot Buttered Rum, or a Chai Toddy. Theme 3: The Classics.  A great time to revisit foundational cocktails like the Old Fashioned, a Martini, or a Manhattan, as people are often cozying up indoors. I already did  spiced buttered rum , so that's off the table. I make hot chocolate with Bailey's or eggnog for my wife frequently, so that was an option. However, the most attract...

I'm not big on tequila, but I do like to have some on hand for the occasional margarita or for my cousin who would never be caught dead without a bottle. Hence, cheap tequila from Costco is obviously the perfect solution. Name: Tequila Blanco Source: Kirkland Signature Style: Tequila ABV: 40% Price: $25.99 Volume: 1.75 Price per oz: $0.44 I've tried to do a better job about keeping a wide variety of distilled spirits on hand recently. I'd personally be set with just bourbon and spiced rum the vast majority of the time, but obviously not everyone likes those specific styles. Add a little tequila, some vodka, and a few other styles, and I have a pretty decently stocked bar that could appeal to most guests. The mango tequila was good, but it isn't exactly made for mixing. Unless you're making a mango margarita, it's a very particular flavor profile that isn't going to go with everything. Plus, it was a good enough spirit to stand up on its own. Most of the bot...

Cruises are awesome and the duty free shop is crazy. But perhaps the craziest thing of all is how well social manipulation can convince you to buy a product you have no interest in: namely, mango flavored tequila. Name: Rock N Roll Mango Tequila Source: Rock N Roll Tequila Style: Tequila ABV: 32% Price: $52.99 (estimated) Volume: 750ml Price per oz: $2.09 We went on a cruise over spring break and it was awesome. The food was incredible, the ship was really cool, and I got to leave the country for the first time in my life. It gets a full 7/5 and absolute recommendation. One of the things we did while on the sailing days was visit the duty free liquor store. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize why the store had such weird hours: it’s only open while the ship is in international waters. Makes sense, you can’t exactly ignore national tax laws unless you’re in international waters. I digress. The first night or two on the ship, one of the display bottles got my wife’s attenti...