Professor Cocktail

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

Another week, another round-up. Please send in your suggestions for next week.

• In the Washington Post, Jason Wilson makes limoncello for the first time. He includes a recipe -- I think I'm going to have to try this.
• In the San Francisco Chronicle, Gary Regan writes about Glenmorangie scotch -- including a recipe for the Highland Sazerac.
• The New York Times shares the exciting news about a very welcome new product on the market: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthod, an orange liqueur made in consultation with spirits historian David Wondrich. Can't wait to try this.
• Reuters shares their tips for drinking in New Orleans. The Sazerac or the Ramos Gin Fizz? Both!
• In ForbesLife magazine, Wayne Curtis writes about The Patrón Tequila Express, the private railcar owned by Patron billionaire John Paul DeJoria. Now that's luxury.
• Forbes asks the question: Can world class whiskey be made in Vermont? The answer is an enthusiastic yes. It's called WhistlePig. (I haven't tried it, but everyone raves about it.)
• Last week, I shared my guide for the Mad Men and their cocktails. Now Esquire magazine has boiled it down to its essence, with the Ultimate Mad Men drinking game.
• The Wall Street Journal has a piece about the imminent closing of the Hemingway Bar in the Ritz Paris. It will be shuttered for two years.
• Also in the Journal, a very interesting piece on spirits conglomerate Diageo. CEO Paul Walsh says they'd be interested in buying Beam, but the price is too high. So they might pursue Cuervo instead.
• Camper English discusses where Irish whiskey is made, along with a handy diagram. It's a rather confusing picture!
• In CLASS magazine, Tara Garnell rounds up 5 Maraschino liqueurs. Her favorite is, not surprisingly, the Luxardo Maraschino Originale, the category leader.
• Also in CLASS, Ian Cameron channels his Inner Geek to explain: What does proof mean?
• The Denver Post reports on the launch of a new Old Tom gin from Downslope Distillery. Old Tom is a classic style of gin that is a little sweeter than the usual London Dry.
• Wired magazine recommends 5 rums for landlubbers, including a couple of my favorites.
• Liquor.com writes about the growing trend for regional spirits.
• Also from Liquor.com: Simon Ford shows you how to make a Cosmopolitan and a Tom Collins.
• The HuffPost discusses the growing success of New York distilleries, including such companies as Tuthilltown Spirits, New York Distilling Company, Harvest Spirits, Fingerlakes Distilling and more.
• Gizmodo debunks the myths that drinkers believe. These articles are always fun.
• Greg Davis, Master Distiller for Maker's Mark, shares 4 tips for tasting whiskey.
• Do you keep Kosher? There's a gin for that, as reported in the Los Angeles Times. (No. 209 gin, made in California.)
• The drinks menu at Harry Denton's Starlight Room in San Francisco allows customers to take a cocktail trip through time.
• Nightclub & Bar magazine interviews Paul Pacult, the world's premier spirits critic, about the Ultimate Spirits Challenge.
• An amusing infographic that shows where to order shots in Boston. Most of them sound kinda gross, but who knows.
• The Merced Sun-Star, a newspaper close to my old stomping grounds, talks about limoncello, including a few recipes if you'd like to try making your own. Must be something in the air this week.
• Speaking of making your own...Serious Eats tells you how to make Pimm's at home. Considering that you can buy the real stuff easily enough, I'm not sure this is necessary.
• The Spir.it writes about the Tom Collins, one of my favorite cocktails, and a perfect quaff for the springtime.
• There's a heated discussion going on over on the Whiskey Advocate blog about the merits of white whiskey. (Never tried it myself.)
• The James Beard Awards, the most prestigious awards in the culinary field, have added a category for Outstanding Bar Program. It's about time!
• CNBS reports some heartening news: America is discovering a thirst for bourbon again.

That's it for this week. Cheers!

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

 We're back with this week's regularly scheduled linking.

• In The Daily Beast, Christopher Buckley writes about the perfect Martini.
• In The Atlantic, Wayne Curtis writes about the secret ingredient that so many spirits, especially herbal liqueurs, supposedly contain. (And to think: the Colonel stole his marketing campaign from Benedictine monks!)
• In the New York Times, Robert Simonson explores Don Draper's favorite cocktail: the Old Fashioned. (I should have a Mad Men-themed post up tomorrow or Friday.)
• In the Naples Daily News, Ashley Stites goes looking for a Sazerac. She finds about what you'd expect: a lot of "huhs?" from the city's bartenders.
• In CLASS Magazine, Simon Difford unleashes his inner geek to explore Old Tom Gin.
• Also in CLASS, Simon rounds up 5 different Amarettos (Amaretti?). The two top scorers are Disaronno Originale Amaretto and Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira.
• According to LAist, gin is in. As well it should be!
• Bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler tells you how to make vacuum-sealed oleo saccarum, a combination of lemon peels and sugar used in many punches.
• The Huffington Post teaches you how to order whiskey like a pro.
• Good news for bourbon lovers: Woodford Reserve has a new Double Oaked whiskey coming soon, and the Louisville Voice-Tribune says it might be the best around.
• When it comes to promoting cocktails and spirits these days, social media is paving the way.
• Bacardi plans to launch a new cognac in the United States, along with a new flavor of Grey Goose vodka. The piece also says that liquor prices are going to rise as the economy improves.
• Courtesy of Liquor.com, Brooke Arthur shows you how to make a French 75 cocktail.
• Do you know your rye from your bourbon? If not, the Columbus Dispatch is here to help.
• I hope you're not tired of hearing about Irish whiskey, because Serious Eats presents a comprehensive guide to the spirit. (Previously they covered blended Scotch whisky and single malt Scotches.)
• According to the Calgary-Herald, rum is making inroads as a sipping alternative to Scotch.
• Word on the street is that the growing popularity of rye whiskey has lead to a shortage in the supply of many distillers' product.
• Adding another tool to the mixologist's arsenal is Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur.
• The San Francisco Chronicle talks to bartender Alex Conde of Hudson.
• Want to make your own Triple Sec? Here's how. I might try this sometime, just for fun.
• Imperial Brands is introducing a new flavor of Marie Brizard liqueur to the American market: Chocolat Royal. Marie Brizard liqueurs are some of the best you can find, so I imagine this will be good as well.

That's all for now. The week is half over!

The Irish Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

Not surprisingly, there was a ton of coverage of Irish whiskeys and the like since our last links round-up. I decided to gather the best ones into this special post. Hopefully, reading it will help get you over that hangover.

• In the Philadelphia Daily News, the wise and knowledgable Jason Wilson writes about Irish whiskey. (He also manages to mock flavored vodka in the same piece.)
• A companion to the piece above, Jason recommends several whiskeys under $50.
• In the Irish Times, Ronan McGreevy gives an excellent history and overview of Irish whiskey.
• In the National Post (Canada), Margaret Swaine gives Irish whiskey a similar treatment, with a nice look at the spirit, including recommendations.
• The Guardian (UK) does its part, with a piece by Fiona Beckett. Like so many folks, she especially likes the Redbreast 12-Year-Old.
• In the New York Times, Patrick Farrell writes about Irish Coffee. With a name like that, he ought to know, right?
• In the Wall Street Journal, Elva Ramirez shows you how to make the Hibernian Flip, a cocktail with Bushmills Irish Whiskey, Bailey's and Guinness.
• Also in the Wall Street Journal, Kevin Sintumuang recommends softening the bite of Jameson's by infusing it with bananas. (Huh?)
• In the Columbus Dispatch, Jesses Tigges recommends four top Irish whiskeys.
• BlackBook magazine rounds up a nice selection of fine Irish whiskeys, with tasting notes and recommendations.
• The Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes about a new "Irish" whiskey, 2 Gingers, that's made in the Twin Cities. (I put "Irish" in quotes because true Irish whiskey has to be made in either Ireland or Northern Ireland.) Regardless, I'd still try the man's whiskey.
• The San Diego Reader does a taste test of Irish whiskeys. They don't really reach a consensus (I think they were all too drunk), but they seemed most fond of John L. Sullivan Irish Whiskey.
• In the Washington Times Communities, Sherrie Perkovich writes about the intersection of California winemaking and Irish whiskey: Concannon Irish Whiskey, a whiskey that is aged in old wine barrels from California.

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

With St. Patrick's Day coming up this weekend, a lot of folks have some drinking in their future. Here are some links to get you started.

• In the Washington Post, Jason Wilson presents the new standards for drinking like a girl. (Girly drinks are out. Kick-ass female bartenders are in.)
• In the New York Times, Robert Simonson writes about the 10th anniversary of Tales of the Cocktail, the pioneering New Orleans conference, coming up this July.
• Also in the New York Times, Rosie Schaap shares her thoughts on Irish whiskey.
• In the San Francisco Chronicle, Camper English writes about Irish whiskeys, too. He includes a recipe for the Derry Derby, which sounds good.
• But wait -- Liquor.com offers their suggestions for Irish whiskeys. I'm really looking forward to the new Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength -- if only I could find some!
• Not to be outdone, The Spir.It presents 8 brands of Irish whiskey for you to consider.
• Some cool news I spotted in Forbes Magazine: Knob Creek, makers of fine small batch bourbon, are releasing a new rye whiskey later this year.
• Speaking of the new Knob Creek Rye -- the Whiskey Advocate's John Hansell has nice things to say about it, as well as some other new whiskeys that are coming soon.
• Is this Pisco's moment to shine? Liquor.com thinks so, and suggests 3 brands to try. (I've yet to sample this South American brandy.)
• In The Atlantic, Nathaniel Parish Flannery make a trip to Mexico to see how tequila is made.
• In the Kansas City Star, Anne Brockhoff investigates the growing popularity of mezcal in the United States.
• In CLASS Magazine, Simon Difford and Ian Cameron round up 5 varieties of blue curacao. Their favorite is the Joseph Cartron Curacao Blue, which I don't believe is available in the U.S.
• The Los Angeles Times reports on the Chicago cocktail scene, including the best bars.
• Details Magazine offers up 5 biggest cocktail-order fails. I'm not sure I agree with these. They're a little uptight.
• Wine Enthusiast Magazine uncovers the wine and cocktails of the Titanic. Includes recipes for the Tom Collins and Robert Burns.
• Imbibe Magazine reports on New York's booming craft distilleries. The city was once home to scores of distilleries -- and maybe one day it will be again.
• Patrón shares a recipe for the Patrón Perfect Cosmo. Not sure how this one would taste with tequila.
• Some speciality bars have started showcasing Fernet Branca taps in recent months. But Jack Rose in D.C. now has a bourbon tap!
• The Weekly Pint rounds up the 5 best beers of 2012 (part one).

That's it for now. Don't drink too much this weekend. Happy St. Paddy!

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

Here's a hand-crafted collection of links to brighten your week.

• In the San Francisco Chronicle, Gary Regan writes about cocktails and poetry, including a recipe for The Mute Appeal.
• In the Washington Post, Jason Wilson discusses what's happening with port today -- the answer is: not much. But it is increasingly finding its way into cocktails.
• In Esquire Magazine, David Wondrich explores the proliferation of world whiskeys that are hitting the market.
• In the New York Times, Jeremy W. Peters looks for the perfect martini while out on the campaign trail.
• Proving that international whiskeys are all the rage these days, the Times runs a piece on the growing popularity in the U.S. of Indian Whiskey.
• In the Times-Picayune, Todd A. Price writes about the new version of Mr. Boston's Official Bartender's Guide. Although some of the previous versions of this book were lousy, this one is solid. I've used it several times.
• The Los Angeles Times Magazine writes about smoking cocktails, including a bunch of recipes.
• In CLASS Magazine, Simon Difford and Ian Cameron round up five green melon liqueurs. The version from Gabriel Boudier gets the best marks.
• Also in CLASS, Camper English visits Seattle's best bars.
• In Charleston, bourbon is big business. I've never even heard of Virgil Kaine Bourbon & Ginger, but it sounds tasty.
• Serious Eats asks: which cocktail ingredients should you buy and which should you make yourself? My position is: if you can easily buy a high-quality ingredient without spending a bunch of money, why go to the trouble of making it?
• Also in Serious Eats, a guide to blended Scotch whisky. Blended Scotch is made by mixing different single malts along with other grain whiskies, and is the most popular category of scotch whisky. (They previously discussed single malt Scotches.)
• Speaking of which...Wayne Curtis tells how to make your own spiced rum. This might actually be worth it, as most spiced rums I've tried aren't very good.
• Liquor.com shares some advice on stocking your home bar.
• Following up on last week's post on the Manhattan, a recipe for the Red Hook, another popular variation on the classic cocktail.
• Speaking of the Manhattan...Bartenders Dushan Zaric and Brooke Arthur show you how to make one, along with a Rob Roy and Whiskey Sour.
• In more Brooklyn news (Red Hook is a neighborhood in Brooklyn), rum is gaining popularity in the borough. As well it should!
• Even more New York news: Hearth, a bar in NYC, has a new line-up of New York-themed cocktails. The Maria Tallchief sounds interesting.
• Ashlee Casserly is trying to introduce poitin (Irish white whiskey) to America. I've seen a couple bottles of this raw spirit (sometimes called potcheen) floating around, but never tried it.
• The Spir.It tells you how to infuse your own spirits.
• Is stout and pancakes the new breakfast of champions? Seems unlikely -- never cared much for stout.
• Following the trend of spirits infused with honey, two new ones are hitting the market: Barenjager Honey & Bourbon, and Bushmills Irish Honey. I haven't tried any of the honey spirits yet, but I'd give these a shot.

That's it for this week. Cheers!

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

You want stories? We got stories.

• In The Atlantic, Wayne Curtis goes on a nutmeg bender. He ends up getting a little high, but I wonder if the power of suggestion helped.
• In the New York Times, Rosie Schaap writes about "After the Feast, the Digestif." She focuses on different types of brandy, including Armagnac, grappa and slivovitz.
• In CLASS Magazine, Simon Difford discusses the Piña Colada.
• Imbibe Magazine does a Q&A with some of NYC's best bartenders, including Dushan Zaric, Theo Lieberman and Kenta Goto.
• The Columbia Room's Derek Brown talks about dishonest yelpers. I give all online reviews a serious discounting for this very reason.
• Martin Doudoroff tells you all you need to know about the classic American cocktail: Old Fashioned 101.
• Bartender Michael J. Neff (Ward III) talks about craft distilleries. Not that long ago there were only a few dozen small distilleries in America. Now there are hundreds of them.
• Here's a piece of news we've all been hoping for: Drinking vodka makes you more creative.
• A video from 2010: bartender Derek Brown talks at TEDx about reinventing the cocktail.
• Some of our greatest presidents had a fondness for whiskey. They even make whiskey again at Mount Vernon, George Washington's estate. Unfortunately, it's extremely expensive and in very short supply.
• Can you believe I've never tried sake? Seems odd, but I never have. In a piece from a while back, David Wondrich provides an intro to this unique Japanese beverage.
• Dutch businessman Bay van der Bunt has the world's oldest liquor collection. He has over 5000 bottles and is getting ready to sell them.
• The Oscars may be over, but you can still drink like you're in the movies.
• In the "how to" department, videos on shaking a cocktail, from Angus Winchester, Jamie Boudreau and Evan Zimmerman.
• Concannon is now making an Irish whiskey that is aged in wine barrels. Other distillers have done this with Scotch, but usually the wine is something like Sherry.
• A selection of 5 hot cocktails for cold winter nights. No recipes, but some interesting ideas. The Almond Hot Toddy sounds delicious.
• The Martini is taking Los Angeles by storm.
• Following on yesterday's post on the Manhattan, a recipe for the Newark, a popular variation.
• You have to love an adventure story that ends in a cocktail recipe. Here's a classic one from Charles H. Baker.
• Gizmodo reviews the top 5 cocktail recipe apps. I haven't been particularly impressed with any of the apps I've tried out so far. (I'll need to write about this at some point.)
• Charlottesville is a great town and The Hook talks to several of the best local bartenders.
• SF Beer Week took place recently, and David Kover reports back on eight memorable sips.
• Ordering wine in a restaurant doesn't have to be an intimidating experience. Wine importer Terry Thiese tells you what to say to a sommelier.

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

I had so many interesting articles to link to this week that I decided to mix up a special edition of the Cheat Sheet. Enjoy!

• In the San Francisco Chronicle, Gary Regan talks about Japanese whiskey, specifically Yamizaki.
• Also in the Chronicle, the economy must be rebounding because sales of booze are up.
• Advertising Age reports that one of the engines driving those sales overseas is bourbon. (American exports of spirits now amount to $1.34 billion, outpacing both wine and beer.)
• Bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler shares the most important bar tool you're probably not using: a notebook for recipes. I've been keeping my recipes on index cards, but this looks like a better idea. (I've thought of doing it on my iPad or iPhone, but I don't like using them in the kitchen.)
• The Minneapolis Star-Tribune has a piece on what's going on with bourbon today.
• Serious Eats presents a guide to single malt Scotch.
• Bartender Jim Meehan (PDT) talks to the Wall Street Journal about absinthe. (video)
• The New York Distilling Company now has its own bar, the Shanty, and the New York Times visits.
• In CLASS Magazine, Simon Difford reviews several gins, along with some other spirits. He gives the highest marks to Zuidam Dry Gin, which I've never even heard of before.
• Also in CLASS Magazine, Camper English reports on the twelve best bars in Vancouver.
• Need even more bar recommendations for Vancouver? Simon Ford shares his.
• Boston bartenders are putting new twists on classic cocktails. Looks like some good stuff is going on up there.
• Mardi Gras may be over, but as Rosie Schaap writes in the Times, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a Ramos Gin Fizz.
• Speaking of the Ramos Gin Fizz, Chris McMillian, New Orleans' best bartender, shows you how to make one.
• New York's Daily News has a piece on cocktails created by bartender Kenneth McCoy of Ward III in honor of the nine films that are nominated for Best Picture.
• Here's another collection of cocktails for your Oscar-night party, courtesy of Richard Goldsmith.
• And even more Oscar-night cocktails, these from The Spir.it.
• The latest trend in gin: Navy-strength gin, clocking in at around 114 proof. I haven't tried any of this yet, but I'm curious. It seems like gin could quickly get overpowering at that level.
• Brooklyn has its first gin distillery since Prohibition. Breuckelen Distilling started in 2010 and makes a few varieties of gin and whiskey.
• A new distillery is opening in Washington, DC as well. The New Columbia Distillery is planning to open this summer.
• The Weekly Pint shares the best craft beers in the Big Easy.
• In case you didn't get your fill of presidential cocktails, here are a few more.
• The Four Seasons in Baltimore has a new high-end cocktail bar called the Wit & Wisdom Tavern. The Baltimore Sun visits and has nice things to report.
• Want to make your own Allspice Dram? Serious Eats tells you how. Or you can buy St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram. It's a little pricey, but one bottle will probably last the rest of your life.

That's it for now. What are you drinking this weekend?

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

 Some good stuff on tap this week. Enjoy!

• In the Washington Post, Jason Wilson shows a little love to white (bianco) vermouth. (This is a different animal from dry vermouth.)
• Also in the Post, a Q&A with Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth (head of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus) about bourbon and taxes. Who knew there was a Congressional Bourbon Caucus? I want to join!
• In The Atlantic, Derek Brown proclaims that if the world ends in 2012, it will be because of flavored vodka. (Who are the targeted consumers of Whipped Cream Vodka, anyway? Twelve year olds?)
• In other Derek Brown news, he shows you how to make some Prohibition-era cocktails.
• In Esquire, David Wondrich explains how to give a proper toast.
• Gary Regan discusses the Betsy Ross cocktail and tells you how to make one. (Brandy, port, orange Curaçao and bitters.)
• Woodford Reserve has a new Double Oaked Bourbon, that ages the whiskey in two different kinds of barrels. Sounds interesting.
• The Globe reports on Boston's bar culture. Hospitality, along with commitment to fine cocktails, is key.
• CNNGo recommends the 8 best modern speakeasies. Included on the list are The Gibson in Washington, DC, Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco, and The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. in Philadelphia.
• In the New York Times, Robert Simonson writes about the trend of smoking cocktails. I have not tried a smoked cocktail, so I remain skeptical.
• Redbreast Irish Whiskey is rolling out a new 12-year-old cask-strength whiskey that gets very high marks from Cigar Aficionado. I'd love to try this.
• Five Amaro cocktails that won't leave you bitter -- including my favorite, the Picon Punch.
• Booker and Dax, a new bar in Manhattan, is lighting up New York -- with cocktails.
• Wayne Curtis writes about his trip to the Clough Club in Vancouver.
• Did you know that premium cocktails are back in vogue? Well, according to the Miami Herald, they are. (I seem to recall hearing this somewhere before.)
• Irish whiskey now outsells single malt Scotch in the United States. Erin go Bragh!
• St. George Spirits releases three new gins simultaneously: Terroir Gin, Botanivore Gin and Dry Rye Gin. Sounds intriguing!
• An article on bitters from The Guardian. Turns out they're important to include in your drinks.
• Kara Newman tells where to find a good cocktail in Las Vegas, including a nice twist on the Cosmo.
• Forbes Travel Guide shares how to drink like a president. President Obama, for example, is "partial to a great margarita, and also martinis."
• Here is a collection of presidential-inspired cocktails, complete with recipes.
• Pisco Sour Day has passed, but you can still celebrate by making one with Wine Enthusiast's recipe. They also give scores for three different Piscos. (Pisco Capel Reservado is their highest rated one.)
• Does terroir affect beer? Maybe.

I still have quite a few articles queued up, so I might make a special edition Cheat Sheet later this week. Let me know if you'd find that useful.

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

Hopefully you're recovered from Valentine's Day. Here is some recommended reading to get you through the rest of the week.

• Derek Brown confesses that, according to the CDC, he's a binge drinker. But when he explains what he means, you might see the term a little differently.
• Katie Nelson (The Columbia Room) discusses how to set up a home bar.
• Bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler claims that he makes the best Amaretto Sour in the world. To the best of my knowledge, I've never had an Amaretto Sour. But I'm going to give his recipe a try.
• Whiskey Advocate magazine has named Irish Distillers the Distillery of the Year. They're the producers of Jameson, Powers, Redbreast and other fine Irish whiskeys.
• Wayne Curtis, a man who knows a thing or two about rum, shares his thoughts on Hot Buttered Rum, one of my favorite drinks. He recommends the batter method, which has its advantages. Here's my Hot Buttered Rum recipe.
• David Wondrich tells you how to make the least fussy cocktail. The secret? A little booze, a little something else.
• Serious Eats discusses the difference between single malt and blended whisky. (In short: a single malt whisky is the product of a single distillery. A blended whisky is a mixture of different whiskys from different distilleries.)
• Camper English writes about how Hendrick's Gin is made.
• I've yet to try a beer cocktail, but according to the Los Angeles Times they're popping up on menus all over the place.
• In CLASS magazine, Simon Difford reviews five clear peach liqueurs. The highest-rated are DeKuyper's Crystal Clear Peach Liqueur (a different product, I think, from their American version) and Teichenné Peach Schanpps from Spain.
• Over on Forbes.com, Chris Milligan muddles over muddlers. (I use a basic wood muddler that seems to do the job just fine.)
• Andrew Strenio lists three American Rye Whiskeys you should try. They are: High West Double Rye, Sazerac Rye and Hudson Manhattan Rye. I think Rye is one of the world's great spirits. Remarkable stuff. (We had a review recently of High West Double Rye.)
• There's a new website (and newsletter) dedicated to the world of beer, put out by the same people who publish The Daily Sip (about wine): The Weekly Pint.
• SF Weekly picks the 10 best bars in San Francisco. Coming in at #2 is Smuggler's Cove, Martin Cate's palace of rum and Tiki.
• Robert Hess shows you how to make a Biter Cocktail (Gin, Chartreuse, Lemon, Absinthe). And he's also found a new juicer -- but it doesn't look promising.
• Pisco, a brandy from South America, is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. Now Peru and Chile are fighting over who really owns it.
• The Spir.it rounds up the Top 5 Gin Cocktails. (Good picks!)
• One from the archives: Eric Felten, writing in the Wall Street Journal, muses about Valentine's Day cocktails.

The Cheat Sheet: The Professor's Guide to the Best Cocktail and Spirits Links

Some fun stuff for your reading pleasure this week. 

• In the Washington Post, Jason Wilson discusses "How cocktails happen."
• In the San Francisco Chronicle, the great Gary Regan recommends a cocktail for Valentine's Day: A Rogue's Romance. Sounds delicious!
• Jim Meehan, from NYC's PDT cocktail bar, is the hot bartender of the moment. (And for good reason.) Here he discusses Boston's cocktail culture.
• Dushan Zaric, owner of NYC's Employees Only bar, talks about Calvados, the French apple brandy, including three cocktail recipes.
• More from Zaric: three videos showing you how to make a Daiquiri, Mint Julep and Mojito. The Daiquiri is one of my favorite drinks -- it really showcases a fine Rum.
• In other how-to videos, Simon Ford shows you how to make a Martini, Vesper and Gimlet. Simple, classic, elegant.
• In case you hadn't noticed, bitters have maintained their place at the forefront of the craft cocktail movement. Here's another article about them, focusing specifically on Bittermens. (For the record, I think bitters are both essential and amazing. Although I also think that, as with most things, people are getting a little carried away with them.)
• Bartender Evan Zimmerman demonstrates how to choose a bar spoon and stir a drink.
• If you don't know much about Chartreuse, Sean Kenyon has the scoop on this green liqueur made for centuries by monks in the French Alps.
• Here are some pictures of a few amazing home bars. They put me to shame.
• Have you heard? Cocktails are coming back!
• The latest rage (one of them, anyway) in mixology is making your own ingredients. Here's how to make Falernum. (I might actually try this one of these days.)
• Need some more ideas for Valentine's Day cocktails? Here are a few.
• Seema Gunda reviews Trader Joes' new line of "Trader Moon" wines. My wife has tried a few of these and has good things to say about them.
• If you're going to showcase your homemade cocktails to their best effect, you'll need some nice glasses and other tools.
• Andrew Strenio rounds up the three artisanal liqueurs from Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: Root, Snap and Rhuby. I haven't tried any of them, but they do sound interesting.
• Bartenders love Fernet, one of the most interesting of the Italian Amari, with a fascinating bitter, herbal flavor. Here's a recipe for bartender Eric Swan's Bitter Pill, a cocktail made with Fernet and aged Rum.
• Ginger Beer is essential for making cocktails like the Dark 'n Stormy and Moscow Mule. I buy it at the store. But you can make your own.

That's it for now. Cheers!