Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum: Nine is the Magic Number

It’s been two months since Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum, the newest release in the Cruzan portfolio, made its debut. With its blend of vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mace, allspice, pepper and juniper berry, Cruzan 9 is perfect for the kind of fall weather that has seemingly disappeared in the midst of L.A.’s current heat…

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It’s Single Malt Season at the Wine House

This month, two outstanding single malt tasting events are taking place within a week of each other at the Wine House. First is Glenfarclas, which has produced its award-winning single malt whiskies since 1836, and has been owned and managed by the Grant family since 1865. On October 5th, Brand Ambassador George S. Grant, who…

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Live the Dream: Become Belvedere’s 2011 Global Brand Ambassador

In an article published last month, the New York Times looked at the career path that many top bartenders are taking, from working behind the bar to the high-flying life of a spirits brand ambassador. Now, Belvedere Vodka is offering you the chance to skip all that paying-dues stuff with its new contest, aptly titled…

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September 9: Cruzan 9 Tasting Events at Nine LA Bars

Earlier this summer, Cruzan Rum launched its latest expression, a spiced rum called Cruzan 9. The new Cruzan derives its name from its nine-spice blend of vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mace, allspice, pepper and juniper. The number nine is also a nod to the nine districts of St. Croix, home to the historic Cruzan distillery.

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Say Aloha to Kōloa Kauai Dark Rum

Of all of the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai is perhaps the most fitting place for the Kōloa Rum Company to call home. Captain James Cook (commanding the HMS Resolution) and the HMS Discovery first landed on the Hawaiian Islands at Waimea, Kauai in 1778; in the holds of both ships were barrels of rum. Hawaii’s first sugar plantation was founded in Kōloa, Kauai in 1835, and small batch rum was said to be produced from the very first harvest, which took place in 1837. It’s from this Kauai town that Kōloa Rum gets its name.

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WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey Launches at Seven Grand

A group of spirits cognoscenti gathered at Seven Grand last Thursday for the Los Angeles launch of WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey, a 100 proof, 100 percent rye whiskey, aged for a minimum of ten years in oak barrels. Founded in 2010, WhistlePig is hand-bottled at the WhistlePig Farm Distillery, located on a former dairy farm…

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Ready for Departure with Tequila Avión Silver

After tasting through the three expressions of the excellent Tequila Avión range at a recent sneak preview, I was looking forward to taking the newly-launched ultra premium brand for a few spins at home. Just in time for National Tequila Day, the Booze Fairy delivered a review bottle of Tequila Avión Silver. Tequila Avión is…

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Have Bitters, Will Travel: The Bitter Truth Traveler’s Set

From their origins as medicinal products, bitters became an integral part of the Golden Age of cocktails, providing drinks with flavor, depth and complexity. Prohibition devastated the bitters industry; only a few brands survived and many disappeared, never to return. Thanks to the ongoing cocktail renaissance, bitters have clawed their way from the brink and…

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