Image used with permission by copyright holderPeople say lots of things in life come in threes, but Tullamore D.E.W.’s latest release, Trilogy, is going to be the only thing anywhere remotely associated with threes that you’ll want in your life. Released earlier this year, Trilogy is a blend of all three styles of Irish whiskey—pot still, malt, and grain—which gives it a unique character from nose to finish. Not only are all three styles of Irish whiskey represented, but it also aged in three different types of barrels, greatly changing the flavor from what you might think of with another Irish whiskey. First, Trilogy does its time in ex-Bourbon casks. Next, it is transferred to Oloroso sherry butts before finally being put into rum casks which, according to Tullamore D.E.W. Brand Ambassador and pub historian Tim Herlihy, “delivers a richer, smoother, more complex whiskey with a full-bodied taste of fruit, nuts and spice, and a lingering creamy fudge flavor. The nose has a nutty oakiness and rich spice interlaced with a hint of tropical fruit.”
If that isn’t enough for you, Trilogy is Tullamore D.E.W.’s oldest member in their lineup, clocking in at fifteen years. This age, plus the triple barreled agin process just keep adding to the complexity that you’ll taste both on an initial sip and later on in your drinking experience.
Intended primarily as a sipping whiskey, Herlihy says that Trilogy will appeal to seasoned whiskey drinkers looking for something a little different when searching through the premium Irish whiskey category. If you don’t consider yourself one of them, there’s still hope. The aging in ex-bourbon and rum barrels imparts a sweetness and a richness that will bring the spirit closer to the palate of someone more used to drinking bourbon or rum.
Rosé rules -- no ifs, ands, or buts. You’ve most definitely seen dudes drinking rosé, with the pink wine sold in forties. Chances are, you’ve heard the term “brosé” at least once or twice in your life. Heck, people are cooking with rosé. Can you believe that? It's a sweet wine worth talking about.
All this talk about the drink prompted us to go on a quest to find the most exceptional ones this rosé season. With plenty of great options in the market, we chose to narrow down our list to these best rosé wines for your next hot date, guys' night, or solo Netflix binge. Still reluctant to try this magical wine? We listed seven reasons why you should start drinking rosé.
Best rosé wines
How to start your own home bar: the essential spirits
When you start getting into cocktails, drinking them is only half the fun -- making them is part of the appeal too. If you start making your own drinks at home, you'll soon find that you can often create better or more interesting drinks than what you're served in most bars. And even better, making drinks for other people is a great way to try out new combinations, learn about spirits, and make your friends and family happy too.
However, moving beyond the simple spirit plus mixer style of drinks which most people make at home and into the world of cocktails means that you'll need a wider array of spirits on hand than you might be used to. It can take some time and research to build up a well stocked bar, and choosing high quality spirits isn't a cheap endeavor. It's worth it, though, for the pleasure of being able to try out classic cocktail recipes and experiment with making up your own creations too.
You’re overlooking the most important ingredient in your cocktail
When you list off the most important parts of making a good cocktail your mind likely goes immediately to good ingredients: quality spirits, freshly squeezed citrus juices, and well-matched mixers. You might also consider the importance of using the right tools, like getting a proper mixing glass so your stirred drinks can be properly incorporated, or a good strainer so that there aren't little shards of ice in your cocktails. And then there are the fun additions like elaborate garnishes, bitters, or home-made syrups which can add a personal touch to your drinks.
All of those things are important, absolutely. However I think there's one ingredient that can make or break a good cocktail, and it's something many drinkers don't ever stop to consider. It's the humble but vital ingredient of ice.
Why ice is so important
In mixed drinks like a gin and tonic or a screwdriver, ice is added to the drink primarily to chill it down to a pleasing temperature. That's a topic we'll come back to. But in cocktails which are shaken or stirred, ice is far more important than that. Cocktails are typically composed of between around 20 to 30 percent water, and this water comes from the ice used in the preparation process.
When you stir ingredients in a mixing glass or shake them in a shaker with ice, you are chipping away small pieces of the ice so that it dissolves and blends with your other ingredients. You might imagine that water doesn't make much of a difference to taste, being tasteless itself. But it's vital in opening up the flavors of other ingredients. That's why many whiskey drinkers like to add a dash of water to their whiskey when they drink it neat.
If you're ever in doubt of how important water is to cocktails, it's worth trying to make a drink with no ice. Even if you mix up the ideal ratios for a drink that you love and put it into the freezer so that it gets to the chilled temperature that you usually enjoy it at, if you sip it you'll find that your drink tastes harsh, unbalanced, and incomplete. Even for special room temperature cocktails like those designed to be drunk from a flask, you'll generally find water being added at a rate of around 30%.
When you make your cocktails you should be sure to stir for a long time – around 30 seconds is a good start – or to shake for a good while too – I typically do around 12 to 15 seconds – in order to melt enough ice to get plenty of water into your cocktail. Despite what you might imagine, this won't make the cocktail taste watery but will rather make the flavors stand out more as well as often improving the mouthfeel of the drink. A good rule of thumb is to mix or shake until the vessel is cold to the touch. That means your ingredients are sufficiently incorporated with the ice.
