I'd say it's lacking in mouthfeel and aftertaste compared to Angostura for that, but it might be interesting trying to swap half of the Angostura in Angostura-heavy cocktails like Trinidad Sour to see how it fares.

Interesting idea, perhaps i should try it in a Port of Spain cocktail once i get my hands on some good orgeat. And yes, do agree that its inferior in a lot of ways to ango, but i have tried it in a Manhattan once and it wasnt half bad at all.

It is a pain in the arse to get ahold of this tequila but for all the good reasons: clean, balanced agave sweetness along with a healthy helping of the barrel, some spice notes too. Their 2024 winter repo blend is also remarkable, leaning more into the lactic profile.

Way better than the ubiquitous aperol spritz or whatever other mediocre stuff most bars use these days, especially if you make it with vermouth amaro

This is the proof that martini can and does manufacture a proper vermouth, this is on par with your classic vermouth choices like carpano or dolin, definitely a formidable choice if you can’t find the other two.

Burst of orange with a hint of fennel/aniseed on the nose, little bit of gentian, hint of chocolate too. Super orangey on the palate with a pleasant, lingering bitterness and coffee aftertaste. That’s some good stuff!

While it’s might be a tad too sweet for me (at least subjectively, even though Strega 900 was almost syrupy-like, Select detects as being sweeter) it’s got a surprisingly intriguing floral character, unlike any other aperitif I’ve had before. Makes me wanna see if it would behave well in an Old pal formula

Lots of gentian on the nose, almost as much as in Carpano’s botanic bitter. Pleasantly bitter with just the right amount of sweetness, good amount of orange too. Simple but beautiful!

Celery seems to be more present in the current iteration, as well as some salinity and bitter green tea flavours, and cardamom too of course, but subdued. Also there appears to be a mistake in the abv reading since it’s 44% on the current bottles.

Indeed a formidable substitute for yellow chartreuse, marries well with cheaper gins too

Dangerously quaffable even on its own, robust spiced flavours with a bit of that Jamaican funk, even a teaspoon of it will boost any drink, my favourite way of drinking it casually is in a hot cocoa, bloody tasty and doesn’t knock your socks off

Tastes fine when paired with ginger beer but my Eastern European nose can’t help but detect dried dill on the nose… weird

For an 11% ABV this packs an incredible amount of flavour, I’d say, pungent ripe honeydew melon on the nose and palette, a little bit of this goes a VERY long way in a cocktail.

Having tried the Magnifica’s still strength cachaca I’d say this pushes the level of fresh sugarcane spirit’s funkiness even further. First sips were fiery, but you get used to it, the burst of vegetal flavour makes it worthwhile. Almost has like an oaky/jamaican funk to it too?

A full on dinner in your glass, vegetal, bright, balanced on the sweetness, with just the right amount of pimento spice. Marries well with tequila/mezcal, or a Bloody Mary template. This should be the next bartender’s ketchup, for the savoury/salinic drinks, that is.

Usually any flavoured vodka is a nono for me but this is something else. Terribly well balanced on the sweetness, no artificial taste whatsoever, makes a killer espresso martini but might as well be served with a couple of ice cubes to soothe your sweet tooth.

Aniseed works incredibly well together with sloe, making it taste incredibly refreshing. The tart, almost tannic aftertaste makes you want to sip on the thing further. Certainly one of the more unique sloe liqueurs out there.

This gin truly is a flower bomb, while not being that pleasant on its own ( unless you’ve got a thing for its intense perfumed notes), it’s an excellent addition to cocktails: split base with a classic London dry to get a delicious aviation, or add a splash of it into your honey syrup to elevate the Bees Knees cocktail

This spirit was on my bucket list for a while, and only recently did I get a chance to try it. While this was not the sotol that I sampled (was Seis 14 Grand Sotol, 90 proof) it has instantly become my favourite. Being used to drinking tequila and mezcal I was so excited when sotol brought even more of the qualities that I enjoyed in the aforementioned spirits. The nose and taste of Seis was incredibly funky, stinky even. Leather, smoke, salinity with an almost aged Parmesan like quality to it.

While I like bone dry cocktails I do find the addition of a teaspoon of rich simple syrup a better crowd pleaser. Call it sacrilegious, but most people do prefer it just a tad bit sweeter. Also using the Bitter truth violet liqueur gives it a stunning aquamarine hue, just as long as the lemon juice isn’t too yellowish.

First time trying a vermouth based on sherry, and I gotta say I’m quite impressed: it is a perfect mix between sherry and sweet vermouth, with the qualities of both retained and working harmoniously together

The best amaretto I’ve tried by far, unlike disaronno or other cheap analogues which pump their liqueurs full of sugar, it relies on its components quality to create a rich, velvety mouthfeel with plenty of depth and balanced sweetness. Bisquity, nutty, slightly toasty, and a perfect addition to any cocktail that calls for almonds

Perhaps this is the mildest amaro in terms of bitterness that I’ve tried, does not make it less delicious though.

An oddity of a stirred drink yet quite pleasant, tartness does tone down the vermouth and lets cynar take the main stage.