Drink like a navy man
July 31, 1970 was a tough day for British sailors as the 300 year tradition of daily rum rations ended. With the market for British Royal Naval Rum drying up, remaining stocks were stored away in warehouses laying mostly undisturbed, only brought out for state functions and royal weddings. Luckily for us, in the true [...]
Shaking Up the Vodka Pack
Eristoff’s roots are in Georgia; that’s the former Soviet Union satellite, not the birthplace of MLK Jr. and Cee Lo Green. It was created by Georgian royalty back in 1806 when times were tough, and since the country is known for its wolf population, the spirit inherited the mascot. We bring up this little Discovery [...]
Sweet Restitution
Vodka brands have been adding fruit flavoring to their spirits for years in hopes of coaxing mixologists to shell out for another fifth, or at least get the squeamish drinking something. So it makes perfect sense the same trend would trickle down to white lightening. The sweetness from Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon Aged Fruit Moonshine($30) [...]
Caribbean in a Bottle
It’s a commonly known fact that the months between New Years and Spring are dreary and depressing, especially for those of us on the East Coast. Being strong believers in self medication taking action, Gear Patrol set out to find a stiff drink to bust our winter blues, and came back with the Appleton Estate [...]
A Comeback 300 Years in the Making
Nolet Silver Gin ($50) is a new brand of gin from a family that’s been making the spirit since 1691. Ironically, the Nolet distillery is more widely known today for its contribution to the world of vodka. That’s because 10th generation Carolus J.J. Nolet got the idea to break with tradition and make the Russian [...]
Making the Best From a Bad Situation
Attaching something like “Snow Phoenix” to the name of an otherwise perfectly good bottle of single malt might lead many to think the master distillers have been reading a bit too much Harry Potter after work. The truth is, this special run is actually the result of disaster caused by record snowfall back in January [...]
Double Or Nothing
Double secret probation and double rainbows may be old news, but Johnnie Walker Double Black is different. Created around a similar premise to Belvedere’s Intense Vodka, this blended scotch whiskey is designed to provide a bolder, smokier flavor compared to its ubiquitous predecessor. The added flavor comes from taking the original spirit and aging it [...]
Time flies when you’re having Rum
“A rum to put a beast in your belly”, The Kraken has washed onto the market and is bringing out the inner pirate in us all. An alternative from name brand rums, the Kraken ($20) provides a flavor that’s richer and stronger than the captain, and weighs in at a hefty 94 proof. Caramel sugars [...]
The Wormwood Tradition
The Leopold Brothers believe in a strong sense of tradition and it is understood that tradition is what makes their spirits so good. The Leopold Brothers Absinthe Verte ($67) is crafted from a 100-year-old recipe of anise, grande wormwood, and sweet fennel along with a number of “proprietary botanicals.” The spirit is distilled in a [...]
What's the Shiny Exterior Hiding?
Absinthe has a reputation for many things. Some of them are accurate and justified, others are bogus. Fenom certainly hopes to capitalize one way or the other on the allure of this infamous mind altering substance with their so-called “Modern Absinthe”. Brought to our attention by Liqurious, it’s described by the company as the first [...]
An Iconic Bottle Meets an Iconic Director
As a tribute to one of the city’s most renowned boroughs and film makers, ABSOLUT has put out a limited edition flavor known as ABSOLUT Brooklyn. Developed in conjunction with Spike Lee, the bottle’s unique cover pays homage to the stoop where the director grew up, as well as the borough’s pace of life where [...]
Appealing to Geek Drinkers Everywhere
Companies like Procter & Gamble have known for years that distinct packaging can make or break a product’s success on the shelf. Alcohol makers certainly aren’t newbies in this game either, but the creators of Medea Vodka appear to be hell bent on upping the industry’s game. That’s because each bottle includes an integrated LED [...]
Meet the Brand Giving Gin a Delicate Makeover
Those who drink gin and those who don’t stand on opposite sides of the proverbial line in the sand. If you happen to fall on the side of some of our editors and like this juniper berry infused spirit, then we recommend trying out Oxley Classic English Dry Gin, a brand launched in 2009 by [...]
Redefining The Notion of Drinking Responsibly
Ok so “green” and “vodka” aren’t typically words that you’d normally associate with one another – unless, of course, you’re referring to the facial coloring of someone whose imbibed too much. 360 Vodka, though, is out to change that. Crafted from a philosophy of eco-awareness and corporate responsibility, every aspect of the product’s production from [...]
Recently, while inspecting my collection of spirits, I found myself a bit disappointed at the state of affairs. By any standard measurement, I suppose it would be passable, but not befitting of a Gear Patrol crew member, much less a man who appreciates a fine drink or understands the meaning of a proper home bar. [...]
