Cocktails, 365 – one of the Internets’ most popular “Regular Joe” cocktail blogs – is thrilled to announce the first-ever Top Shelf Picks. These have earned a permanent spot in the Cocktails, 365 test bar; and a guaranteed lifetime spot on the website.
Bourbon – Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey. Beautifully spicy and expertly crafted. This is one of the only bourbons we would say is worth the $40 price tag. With a higher-than-usual rye content, it has to be tasted to be believed.
Scotch – Laphroaig 10-Year Cask Strength. It’s often taken for granted that the older the scotch the better. Laphroaig bucks tradition with their 10 Year Cask Strength. Massively peaty with a pleasant charcoal aftertaste that finishes smooth, we’d argue that the Laphroaig 10-Year Cask Strength may be their strongest iteration.
Tennessee Whiskey – Dickel No. 12 Tennessee Whiskey. While Jack gets all the glory, Dickel is where it’s at when it comes to Tennessee Whiskey. Nice and broad with lots of flavors including oak and vanilla. No. 12 is a man among boys.
Gin – Hendrick’s Gin. Nothing new about this one. Hendricks Gin has held a prime location in our bar since before our inception. Patently complex without any unpleasant burn, Hendricks is the ultimate mixing and neat gin. Give us this apothecary bottle any day of the year, spring, winter, summer, fall.
Rum – Kraken Black Spiced Rum. There were years in there that spiced rum was the craze and everybody and their dogs was putting one out. However, Kraken rose above all others with a consistently pleasing product with strong vanilla and brown sugar tastes.
Liqueur – St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur. Is there anything this gorgeous bottle CAN’T do? Mix it. Drink it straight. Dash it. Pour it. No matter how you use it, it seems to meld perfectly with any base spirit you throw at it. With a lovely smooth, wine-like sweetness it adds a touch of class to any cocktail, no matter how base the spirit. Worth every penny, just be careful you don’t take it down in one day.
Mixer – Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Tonic. The first notes are of strong orange and lemongrass, ending in that oh-so-familiar quinine tang. Definitely has a lot more layers than your typical tonic. Plus, as it’s concentrated, you can really stretch that beast to (at least) 34 separate drinks per one 17 oz bottle.
For more information, contact founder/editor-in-chief Mark Vierthaler at cocktails365@markvierthaler.com. Visit http://www.cocktails365.com for more reviews and daily cocktail creations.
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