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Now Drinking
Bloody Caesar Cocktail Recipe: 2 oz vodka, 6 oz (or so) Clamato juice cocktail, dashes of hot sauce and worchestershire sauce. Featured: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Clamato, Lea & Perrin’s, Deathwish...
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Review: Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy, bottled-in-bond
Maker: Laird’s (Scobeyville, New Jersey/North Garden, Virginia) Age: NAS (4 y/o) Proof: 100 (50% ABV, all spirits labeled “Bottled in Bond” are 100 proof, among other requirements, see b3 here) Color:...
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How ya like them apple (brandies)? Head to Head: Tom’s Foolery vs. Black Star...
1) Tom’s Foolery Applejack 2) Black Star Farms Spirit of Apple Makers 1) Tom’s Foolery (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) 2) Black Star Farms (Sutton’s Bay, Michigan) Proof 1) 80 (40% ABV)...
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A Visit to Black Star Farms
I’m feeling like crap today but I’m going to get this written up, dammit. On Saturday, Jun 19, 2011 Frind of the Blog Amy and I and our spouses and my baby visited Black Star Farms Old Mission tasting...
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Hatter Royale Hopquila
Maker: New Holland, Holland, Michigan, USA Age: NAS (unaged) ABV: 40% Appearance: pale, hazy yellow with decent legs. Nose: Raw spirit, maybe a hint of flowers. On the palate: light, creamy taste, then...
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Black Star Farms 10 year old Apple Brandy
Age: 10 y/o ABV: 42.7% Appearance: Copper with thick clingy legs Nose: alcohol, mulled cider, apple pie, cardamom, lemon juice, apple sauce with sweet cinnamon, brown butter On the palate: full-bodied....
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Marie Duffau Napoleon Armagnac
Maker: Delord Family, Armagnac, France Region: Bas Armagnac, Gers, France Age: 6 y/o ABV: 40% Appearance: Auburn with thick, heavy legs. Nose: Pungent, rustic, but rounded nose. Solera sherry, prunes,...
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Spirit of the Vineyard Michigan White Grappa
Maker: Black Star Farms, Traverse City, Michigan, USA ABV: 40% Note: Made using white wine leftovers (skins, pulp, seeds, stems). Appearance: Clear with big thick legs. Nose: Fruity and pungent, but...
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Rémy Martin 1738
Maker: Rémy Martin, Cognac, France (Rémy Cointreau) Place of origin: Champagne, Cognac, France. (Not to be confused with the winemaking region of the same name). Age: NAS (minimum 2 y/o ) ABV: 40%...
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Germain-Robin Alembic Brandy Reserve Vine & Table batch 2012F
Maker: Germain-Robin, Ukiah, California, USA Age: NAS ABV: 43% Price: $50 Appearance: Burnt orange with a long, persistent necklace. Nose: Alcohol, raisins, prunes, mincemeat, black tea. Palate:...
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Calvados Coquerel Fine
Maker: Calvados Coquerel, Milly, Manche, Normandy, France Age: 2 y/o ABV: 40% Price: $29 (The Party Source. It seems to have disappeared off the Michigan list) Appearance: Golden auburn, a lot of...
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Rémy Martin XO Excellence
Maker: Rémy Martin, Cognac, Charente, Poitou-Charentes, France (Remy Cointreau) Place of origin: Champagne, Cognac (not to be confused with the wine region of the same name) Age category: XO (6 y/o or...
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Clear Creek Eau de Vie de Pomme, 8 y/o
Maker: Clear Creek, Portland, Oregon, USA Style: Aged apple brandy. ABV: 40% Price: $45 (Binny’s) Appearance: Bright copper with a big clingy necklace around the edge of the snifter. Nose: Alcohol,...
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Huber Starlight Distillery Private Reserve Brandy
Maker: Starlight Distillery, Borden, Indiana, USA (Huber’s Orchard & Winery) Age: NAS ABV: 40% Price: $60 (website) Note: My wife and I received a complimentary tasting and tour and a 10% discount...
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Camus VS Elegance
Maker: Camus, Cognac, Charente, France Age category: VS (at least 2 y/o) ABV: 40% Price: $26 (The Party Source) Appearance: Bright copper with thick, slow moving legs Nose: Raisins, old oak, fig,...
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Laird’s Rare Apple Brandy
Maker: Laird’s, Scobeyville, New Jersey, USA Style: Straight apple brandy Age: 12 y/o ABV: 44% Other information: Batch 17, bottled March, 2013 Price: $70 (Binny’s) Appearance: Dark copper with thin,...
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A Visit to Uncle John’s Cider Mill
Uncle John’s Cider Mill/Uncle John’s Fruit House Winery is in St. John’s, Michigan 31 miles north of Lansing, about a one and a half to two-hour drive from Metro Detroit. The Cider Mill has been open...
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Chateau du Tariquet, 8 years old.
Maker: Chateau du Tarquiet, Éauze, Condom, Gers, France. Grape: Folle Blanche (100%) Place of origin: Tariquet estate, Bas-Armagnac. Age: 8 y/o (distilled Nov 1999, bottled July 2010) ABV: 51.1%...
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A Visit to Round Barn
Once a summer, our family has what we call Grandparent Camp. We send our daughter to Indianapolis for a week to spend time with the grandparents, all four of them. When we were thinking about what to...
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Cognac D’Usse VSOP
Maker: Chateau de Cognac, Cognac, Charente, France. (Bacardi) Region: Blend. Age category: VSOP (at least 4 y/o). ABV: 40% Michigan state minimum: $51 Appearance: Brownish copper with long, elegant...
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