The news has been a little slower this week and I suspect it is because of the holidays. However, I was able to find some interesting tidbits to share.
AAA offers Tipsy Tow for New Year's - Only available in Nevada, California, and Utah, this FREE service gets you and your car home (within 10 miles) if you call 1-800-AAA-Help. I've heard of similar offers in other areas, check locally and add the number into your phone. No excuses, do not become a New Year's headline.
Alcohol keeps amaryllis, paperwhites from flopping over - We've all heard the 'amazing, 101 uses for vodka' beyond drinking it. I've used it many times for many of those purposes myself, but one that I did not know is that alcohol can prolong the beauty of indoor flowering bulbs. This story on Mother Nature Network gives us the details, something I'll be using soon as my bulbs come out of cold-shock.
On the subject of pricey sips...
- A $750 shot of whisky -- on the house - A $2,000, 10-month long investment got one lucky man a taste of the coveted Macallan 55 Scotch at St. Paul Grill in Minnesota. Diligence pays off.
- $17,500 whisky tops list of B.C.'s most expensive bottles - I do love Highland Park, it is one of my favorites, but for the cost of a good car I doubt the 50 YO will be making my liquor cabinet soon at this price.
- The $100 Margarita - It's not the most opulent drink I've come across, but this Margarita sounds amazing and not that far out of reach. The lime sorbet and choice of tequilas got me.
New Arrivals...
- Homemade Gins on Board at The Shanty - If you're in Brooklyn you may want to stop by The Shanty to get a taste of New York Distilling Company's (website) two gins, Perry's Tot and Dorothy Parker.
- Whiskey and Chocolate? What's Not to Like About Prichard's Double Chocolate Bourbon - The headline of this story says it all and though this will not replace your favorite bourbon, it would be a nice one to have around.
Rye is Back, With Flavors of American History - This is a great article from the NY Times about some of the wonderful rye whiskies that are so very popular including my personal favorite, Templeton Rye (website).
Beware of the bootleg... Fake liquor is nothing new, but as we've seen recently in India, it can be deadly. The good news in that story is that police now think they have some of the illicit liquor makers in custody beyond the sellers that were arrested previously. In another part of the world word is spreading about counterfeit vodka and imposter Scotch. Number one rule on that last one: if it's not made in Scotland, it's not Scotch.
Alcohol at White Castle: Bad Idea, or worst idea ever? - I think this commentary on Chicago Tribune's The Stew says what needs to be said.
Why Whiskey Got so Frisky - An interesting read by John Costello on Independent.ie about the state of the Irish whiskey market.
Wondrich's Taste Test: Two-Ingredient Cocktails - David Wondrich's post on Esquire is as simple and straight forward as the drinks he shares.
Why Whisky May Be Just the Thing for Jittery Investors - An interesting article for those interested in collecting whiskey as a potential investment. Best advice: do your research, not every bottle is as valuable as those cited.
And, the latest celeb-spirit you just could not wait for (read sarcasm)... Flavor Flav takes on vodka. Can we really take this one seriously when it's a $24 4-carat bottle and he already has plans for, among? others, hemp juice and bubblegum flavors?
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