Belgian beer round-up #7

25.10.2011

My current review is about three Belgian beers of various types. There will be opinions on strong honey ale Barbãr, on recently appeared in Moscow stores witbier Asterie and on another kriek, this time by Timmermans brewery.

All previous Belgian beer reviews are available by following this link.

Homemade absinthe

05.10.2011

This summer I had received two gifts from one of my readers, namely Alexander aka lookovka from Krasnodar, Russia. There were three (in sum) small bottles with various homemade absinthes made by Alexander. I’m not familiar with absinthe-consuming culture as earlier I had have a little experience with two Czech-style absinthes and nothing more than that.

So I just tasted all the absinthes and wrote my impressions below. Hope it will be useful for Alexander and also it signs that not only vodka is produced in Russia.

Macallan Fine Oak 12 yo Single Malt Scotch Whisky

13.09.2011

My next whisky review is about another well-known and inexpensive Scotch single malt whisky, Macallan Fine Oak 12 years old by name. According to official website, that’s a starting point in Fine Oak series which includes whiskies matured up to 25 years.

The main point of Fine Oak series is to use ex-bourbon casks side by side with traditional for Macallan sherry casks. And so spirits for 12-years aged Macallan Fine Oak whisky were matured in ex-bourbon casks and in sherry casks made of American and Spanish oak.

Belgian beer round-up #6

27.08.2011

August is coming to the end, and it’s a right time to write about beer I enjoyed this summer. It was a plenty of good beer, but for this post I’ve selected most impressive fruit lambics and one well-known witbier.

More lambics and witbiers have been reviewed here and here.

Belgian beer round-up #5

28.06.2011

Three months has gone since I’ve wrote my last Belgian beer review. The cause is in two last S.I.P. events that forced me to concentrate on featured cocktails. A lot of summaries concerning my beer experiences were set aside, and now I presents a new review based on those notes.

All the previous review can be found under following «beer» tag.

Discovering vodka. Part II

31.03.2011

My second Russian vodka review is also about the premium vodka (or just something like it) retailing at Moscow supermarkets.

In the first review I explained my reasons and tasting conditions. All they are personal and maybe controversial especially Vodka Martini cocktail as one of the criteria.

I hope it would be useful for foreign imbibers because I know that many of reviewed vodkas are exported to Europe and US.

Belgian beer round-up #4

22.03.2011

The fourth review of the Belgian beer I drank recently here in Moscow. My previous three Belgian beer reviews are also available.

This time I was sipping nice amber ale, unusual brown ale and poor blond ale imitation.

Discovering vodka. Part I

03.03.2011

This article is mostly about Russian vodka so I think it will be not too interesting for foreigners who usually deal with vodkas of European or American brands.

Also I see some misunderstanding and underestimating from people across Europe concerning vodka. That’s not a problem because Russian vodka is a local spirit which should be consumed in proper conditions and accordingly to national traditions.

Traditionally, Russian hand-crafted vodkas were based on distilled rye spirit. Now wheat is cheaper as well as a rectification process substituted for distillation so the base for modern vodkas is rectified wheat spirit. Rye, potato, barley, grape are all an exception to the rule.

Talisker Single Malt Scotch 10-years-old Whisky

28.01.2011

Well-known Talisker distillery is located at the island of Skye in the north part of Inner Hebrides. Now it’s owned by Diageo and is a part of Diageo’s «Classic Malts» series.

10 years old single malt whisky is most affordable Talisker bottling and, at the same time, most peated whisky produced at Talisker distillery. It can’t match against Islay heavy peated whisky but definitely has sharp peat notes in the taste.