For me, smoking a good cigar is as much about the ritual and the environment as it is about the cigar itself. It’s a solid hour of time where I know I can just sit and relax, enjoying the solitude of the outdoors or the warm company of friends. So when I started getting annoyed that my lighter would go missing from its spot or that my cutter was making a racket in my pocket as I walked around, I decided that I needed a way to keep all the necessary tools in an easy-to-grab kit that wouldn’t also look terrible. Read More
Whiskey Review: Nikka Pure Malt Red
Last July, my wife and I were in Paris getting ready to tie the knot. We were there with a group of close family and friends, and looking forward to enjoying one of our favorite cities with some of our favorite people. Mission number one after we arrived was to stock our beautiful hotel patio with plenty of wine and whiskey for guests. I happily accepted this task (it seemed a good bet this would be the easiest item on my wife’s to-do list), and my brother-in-law and I dutifully ventured out in search of the essentials: a box of Cuban cigars, and a good bottle of whiskey.
The cigars were quickly located — in a cigar store on the Rue St. Germain, I procured a box of Montecristo Petit Edmundos. The second item was a little harder to find. That is, until we stumbled across a small shop called La Maison du Whiskey. At first glance it looked average, with a wide enough selection of spirits to justify the name… but then a salesperson mentioned the basement. As we walked down the stairs, it was like walking into the storeroom in the last scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Whiskey as far as the eye could see, with every imaginable type represented.
Whiskey Review: Balcones Baby Blue
I’m working my way through the locally distilled brown spirits here in Austin, Texas. I first spotted this bottle at Easy Tiger in downtown Austin and it was pretty darn good as far as I could remember, but then again that was mixed with a couple other drinks. It seemed delicious at the time but there’s always room for a second opinion. And third. And fourth.
Whiskey Review: Maker’s Mark Straight Kentucky Bourbon
There’s one sure fire way to know my wife’s grandfather has been in the room: an open bottle of Maker’s Mark placed somewhere within arm’s reach of the comfiest chair. Not gunna lie, I kinda want his life. Maker’s Mark has positioned itself as a “premium” whiskey brand meaning that in my formative years I always considered it to be too far outside my price range for consideration, but with that well-traveled man’s endorsement, I decided that it was worth a try.
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Cigar Review: Quorum Robusto
I like good cigars. Who doesn’t? The problem is that good cigars usually cost a good amount of cash. Keeping the humidor stocked when the weather in Texas isn’t surface-of-the-sun-hot is tougher than usual, so I’ve been looking for solid options of a less expensive variety. When I found a brand of cigar available for less than a tenth of my usual afternoon smoke, I was intrigued (and incredulous) so I took a bundle home to test them out myself. Read More
Making a Live Edge Dining Room Table
We recently purchased a house. Which is a great thing, and also meant that there were a ton of projects I needed to finish to make the house complete. One of those projects was making a dining room table to fit a very specific nook in our kitchen, something that I really wanted to make myself instead of just buying from [insert your favorite housewares store here]. Read More
Gin Review: Dry Line Barrel Reserve Cape Cod Gin
I’m a sucker for anything aged in oak barrels. My wife is a sucker for both Cape Cod and gin. So when we heard about South Hollow Spirits new barrel aged gin, we thought it was too good to be true. A single spirit that we both could enjoy, that had the complexity of a good whiskey and the fruity brightness of a gin? We needed to investigate further. And thoroughly. Very, very thoroughly. Many drinks later, I think we’ve formed an opinion.
Read MoreWhiskey Review: Bulleit Bourbon
It used to be that Jack Daniels was the only brown liquor that was guaranteed to be in any and every bar in America. But as the number of people who appreciate a good brown spirit have increased over the last decade, other go-to brands have been making their way onto the shelves. Over the past few years, Bulleit Bourbon has been giving Mr. Daniels a run for it’s shelf space.
Read MoreWhat’s The Difference Between Whiskey, Bourbon, Scotch, and Rye?
Brown spirits. I love it, you probably love it, but my wife thinks it “tastes like burning”. Which is fine, more for me. The question today is, since all of these liquors look pretty much the same what makes one a Bourbon and one a Scotch?
Cigar Review: Montecristo Cuban Petit Edmundo
One of my favorite cities is Paris, France. As much as I know that statement would make Ron Swanson shudder, its hard to deny a city filled with delicious food, amazing architecture, and most importantly… you can get some great Cuban cigars there. Read More