April 5: Why Wait Till Mayo? Tequila Tasting at Malo

By thirstyinla | April 3, 2010 |

This Monday, April 5, Malo hosts Why Wait Till Mayo?, a “100% tequila social” presented by the Tequila Appreciation Society. Following on last summer’s successful Ultra Premium Tequila Tasting, guests will be able sample top notch tequilas, nibble on Malo’s tasty apps, and get their groove on in Malo’s upstairs event area. Making return appearances…

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2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Winners Announced

By thirstyinla | April 2, 2010 |

Celebrating its 10th year, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition gathered 30 judges at the Hotel Nikko in downtown S.F. on March 13 and 14 to evaluate 1024 different spirits from 57 countries. Judging panels were comprised of spirits experts from noted restaurants and hotels, spirits journalists from major national media, spirits buyers for large…

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A Rum Fit for El Presidente: Cruzan Single Barrel Estate

By thirstyinla | March 29, 2010 |

From an Imbibe cover story to the recent openings of La Descarga and Caña in L.A., Smuggler’s Cove in S.F., and New York’s forthcoming Carteles and Painkiller, rum is a spirit on many a cocktail enthusiast’s mind these days. The booze fairy is feeling the rum fever as well and recently sent me a bottle…

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Blame it on Rio: Leblon and the Caipirinha

By thirstyinla | March 28, 2010 |

In the next several years, the eyes of the world will be on Brazil, the host country of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. The booze fairy wanted me to get a head start on getting to know Brazil and thoughtfully sent a review package of Leblon Cachaça. Cachaça (pronounced “ka-SHA-sa”)…

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Winners of the 2010 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Announced

By thirstyinla | March 16, 2010 |

The winners have been announced for the inaugural Ultimate Spirits Challenge, a three-day, four-stage competition that took place at New York’s Astor Center on March 1-3, 2010. The Ultimate Spirits Challenge was presented by Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC), founded by F. Paul Pacult, David Talbot, and Sue Woodley. UBC’s mission is to provide both the…

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All Roads Lead to Classic & Vintage Spirits

By thirstyinla | March 7, 2010 |

As the global cocktail renaissance marches on, mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts continue to utilize the highest quality spirits to anchor classic cocktails and new school creations alike. Founded by Domaine Select Wine Estates (DSWE) in 2009, Classic & Vintage Artisanal Spirits gathers many of these boutique spirits into a single impressive portfolio. Several of these…

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Reconstructing the Balvenie Signature Deconstruction Dinner

By thirstyinla | March 1, 2010 |

photos by Lena Watanabe Last year, famed Speyside distillery The Balvenie released Batch No. 2 of Signature, a 12 year old single malt Scotch created by Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart in celebration of his 45th year in the whisky industry. The Signature is a marriage of three different casks: first-fill bourbon barrels, refill casks…

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Tequila Semental Takes the Agave by the Horns

By thirstyinla | February 5, 2010 |

Founded by Efrain Lopez Gurza in 2007, Tequila Semental is an ultra premium line of triple distilled, 100% blue agave tequilas. According to its press materials, Tequila Semental derives its name from a special caste of “the bravest and most powerful bulls,” known as Sementals, that protected agave fields in ancient times. Gurza’s youthful experience…

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When Scotland Met Portugal: The Balvenie Madeira Cask 17 Year Old

By thirstyinla | January 4, 2010 |

The Balvenie has been called “the bourbon lover’s scotch,” a perfect description of the smooth, honeyed sweetness found in the Speyside distillery’s single malts. For the last several years, Balvenie has been one of the foremost practitioners of the wood-finished style, in which traditionally-aged Scotch is “finished” for an additional two years (or more) in…

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