Luxardo Marischino

What in the world is Luxardo Maraschino? (pronounced mar-ess-skee-no)

It is a liqueur made from marasca sour cherries.  It has so much sugar added to it, you don't know what you're tasting.  I know what it doesn't taste like.  Cherry.  It's kind of earthy, if the earth was made of sugar cane.

Why isn't the earth made of sugar cane?

It's a nice additive to cocktails; use in small doses.  There are other types of maraschinos, but I have yet to gain access to them.

Square One Botanical

This is part 2 of the ingredients for my improved Aviation.  I could list the botanicals, but why bother when they provide such a perfect picture.

It has enough complexity to qualify it as gin-like, instead of vodka, even though it has no juniper.  I think that the pear, rose, and lavender dominate. 

I've had a hard time trying to figure out what to do with this.  Most of the recipes on their website substitute Square One for gin in some classic recipes.  It has enough of a "wince factor" to make me not want to drink it straight or on the rocks.  This is caused because it is a rye based spirit, which obviously gets a thumbs up here, but rye is not to be trifled with lightly, and they could mix something else in the mash to soften the flavor.

I still recommend it.  Hell, I found a great use for it... which I will be sharing later.

Bluecoat Gin

This will be part "1 of n" reviews leading up to my improved version of a classic cocktail. 

Hint.  It rhymes with "Aviation". 

This is a great American style Gin.  Which means that it is a  London Dry done right.  It has all of the classic flavors of a London Dry, yet its much more approachable.  One of the questions that I ask myself when trying to discern the quality of a gin is... "Does it make me wince?"  This gin does not.  It has a lighter juniper flavor than your typical London Dry, with a bit of orange and other citrus notes.  It's quite nice by itself over the rocks, which is a lot more than I can say about most other gins.

Wry World of Sports Presents the Definitive Jim Tressel Time Line

Tomorrow, The Ohio State University goes before the NCAA Committee of Infractions.  There is no need to wait for the NCAA to reveal the long history of bad-bad-bad-doings of ex-Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.  Our crack staff of investigative drunks at the Wry World of Sports has already cracked the case.

• ∞ B.C.  Tressel gives God the finger.  Creates hell..

• Long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.  Tressel convinces Anakin Skywalker to kill some Yuenglings.

• 6000 B.C.  Tressel bakes Eve an Apple Pie.

• 44 B.C. Et tu Jimbo?

• September 1st 1919.  Shoeless Joe Jackson Tells Tressel that he'd "Gladly pay him Tuesday for a hamburger today."

• October 2cd, 1919.  Chicago Black Sox Scandel.
• December 5th, 1952.  Jim Tressel is born.
• October 2cd, 1963, Jimmy Tressel gets a library card in Dallas Texas.
• November 22cd, 1963.  John F Kennedy is assasinated.

• ... Premise starting to run thin...
• May 30 2011, Tressel resigns as football coach at Ohio State.  Justice!

Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

Way back in the early days of this blog, I had a rant against expensive vermouths, stating that they taste like Ketchup.  Now I've found one that's pretty darn tasty, and sadly costs $20.  Which is a far cry from the $5 that I usually shill out for Gallo.

This is a tasty vermouth.  Very sweet with a citrus and raisin flavor and a bitter finish.  In my last article, I lamented that Wathen's bourbon could not stand up to a strong vermouth.  It mixes quite well with Cocchi.  Love it. It's well worth the extra money.