Cocktails cocktail recipe Tequila rum Bourbon Whiskey Irish Whiskey Beer Wine

You probably already know that California produces some of the world's best wines. The Wine Institute sent over some facts about California wine that you might not already know though. 

David "Merf" Merfeld from Northstar Winery is one of my favorite winemakers. He has an amazing ability to create new innovative wines and The Cosmic Egg Cabernet Sauvignon is one of his recent creations. 

We were recently sent a sample bottle of Dos Hombres new Espadin Mezcal. Mezcal is a less abrasive form of tequila for those not in the know. For people like myself, who aren’t straight tequila fans, it’s a more palatable option with less sugar in the taste and more smoothness to the pull. 

The Humboldt Distillery is located in Humboldt County, California and makes several spirits, including vodka and rum, that appeal to those with a more humble(dt) preference. We tried Humboldt’s Finest vodka as well as the organic small batch vodka they make. Both are excellent. Our preference in sipping is perhaps with the organic small batch, but it’s a close race. For mixers, Humbdoldt’s Finest is a great one.

Napa has a reputation for being snooty and unapproachable but there are some gems that manage to produce exceptional wines while maintaining that approachable atmosphere that makes winemaking special. Wine is a luxury good and to some, that means it has to be something only accessible to the "right people" with the "right pallets". What I enjoy about the folks at Kenefick Ranch is that they are different and that's why I was excited to try Chris's Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon and share the experience with you guys.

When it comes to fruity tropical drinks, the classic Mai Tai is among the most iconic. It's the Pacific Islands version of the classic Caribbean Daiquiri... or is it? Ironically this classic drink actually originated in California during the tiki bar craze and while two men lay claim to having created it - I DON'T CARE - because the ones found at Don The Beachcomber are the best I've had. It's a more complex recipe and the time and effort is worth it. Here's the recipe so you can make it at home.

Ok, so that's a bit of a click-bait title since the reality is that almost every winery is unique and brings with it a personality and decor that is special in its own way. However, for guys who are looking for the "experience" of doing a Sonoma wine tour rather than the connoisseur looking only to visit their favorite, most technically excellent wineries, there are some vineyards and tasting rooms that are better than others. The sweet spot is when winemakers are able to blend excellent wines with a fun unique experience that guys of all levels will enjoy visiting. Thanks to the folks at the Sonoma Wine Road, for helping put this awesome itinerary together for us. 

Garrison Brothers was the first legal Texas bourbon but they've come a long way since those early days. While there are a lot of bourbon brands that ride on a cliche concept and good marketing without the soul that makes bourbon something special... Garrison Brothers Distillery is something special and to their credit they've come a long way from the early days when I first tried them many years ago. So, when they sent over some new cocktails to share... well... it just seemed like the right thing to do to salute a whiskey brand that everyone should have in their bar at home.

Occasionally you get the chance to try a spirit so impressive that you realize just how great the industry is right now. It's not just refinement of a single style but innovation that makes the whiskey world so exciting. We got a chance to try a review sample of Angel's Envy Cask Strength 2020 - bourbon finished in port barrels. Here are our thoughts...

There are times when celebrities just slap their name on a bottle or buy a distillery and there are others when it is obvious that the celebrity is actually a partner with the distillery to create something new and unique. That's the case with Matthew McConaughey and Wild Turkey Bourbon. 

Wolf Spirit distillery based in Eugene, Oregon is quickly becoming one of my favorite spirits producers due to their innovative assortment of fine spirits brands that connect deeply with a sense of heritage, history, and culture that allow them to integrate easily into any man's collection. For me anyhow, there are spirits I have and need to blend different drinks... and then there are ones like Puncher's Chance Bourbon and indeed Bosscal Mezcal (also by Wolf Spirits) that exist to create conversations around and will be featured on the shelf of my bar for people to see, while others will be stored in my liquor cabinet hidden from sight.

Bourbon's historical home is the wooded hills and hollers of backwoods Kentucky. The cool mountain streams and springs matched with the fertile cornfields and Scots-Irish immigrants looking to do something with their extra corn beyond just another round of cornbread and Johnny Cakes. However, they weren't the only farmers that enjoyed the smooth, slightly sweet tasting corn liquor we know today as bourbon. As settlers expanded westward, they brought whiskey with them and the most ingenious of them brought stills and set up production wherever they landed on the western frontier.

Santa Maria is the last of the Central Coast wine regions for us to explore and after spending a few days here, I'm ready to head back... and I want to bring some guys with me! Santa Maria is situated at the north west end of Santa Barbara County and roughly half way between Santa Ynez Valley and San Luis Obispo. On the surface, it lacks the glamour of Santa Barbara and the prestige of Paso Robles and that's why we'd passed over it so many times before, just simply driving past. However, this might just be one of the most exciting destinations when it comes to planning a guys weekend getaway anywhere on the Central Coast.

I love fun wines and the personality behind them, so I was excited to try MERF Wines Cabernet Sauvignon a few weeks ago. All too often I feel like wine is either stuffy and boring or kitchy product designed to draw you in with a label but ultimately lacking the quality product to make you want more. I've been a fan though of Columbia Valley wines from Washington State since they generally have a fantastic quality to them that is almost a part of the lifestyle. David "Merf" Merfeld's product continues this so we wanted to get to know him a bit more. Here's his thoughts on travel, food, and why he switched from brewing to winemaking.

San Diego is an awesome town that is sometimes forgotten about or dismissed as simply a surf town, but what I have discovered over the past year is that there is an incredible amount of awesome things to do here beyond the beach including touring some of the almost 100 craft breweries, exploring vineyards in nearby Temecula and Romona, as well as visiting the Zoo, touring historic military ships and some of the best burgers and tacos in the country.

Visitors to the Cayman Islands usually focus on sites like "Hell" or "Stingray City" but last fall when I visited this amazing little island we did things a bit different. Instead of the normal tourist spots, we went to a distillery, made new friends, drank some world class spirits, and then almost missed the last tender back to our ship. Luckily we didn't miss our ship, but if we had - this would have been TOTALLY worth it!

Cayman Spirits has been distilling spirits since 2008 from a tiny shack in Georgetown Grand Cayman but in 2013, they moved into a fantastic new facility just outside of town with 5,000 square feet of space to offer tours, a tasting room, and production capacity to meet worldwide demand.

Recently I was hosted by Crown Royal to attend a weekend of fun at the Jeff Kyle Brickyard 400.  During the weekend we were educated by Master of Whiskey (MOW) Stephen Wilson on the Crown Royal distilling process and how they come up with the blends they use in their whiskeys. 

Everyone should have a neighborhood bar. It's one of those places that can be a home away from home where the bartenders welcome you warmly when you enter the door and you feel comfortable before you even have a chance to order a drink. That's what San Diego's The Whiskey House is to me, so when I got the opportunity to join them for a Glenfiddich tasting a few weeks ago I jumped at the opportunity. Then I discovered that they were opening a $4,000 bottle of Glenfiddich 40 year and I cleared my schedule for the rest of the evening!

I'm a big fan of Sauvignon Blanc, the crisp often lime notes that are associated with it - especially those from Marlborough region in New Zealand are my go-to drink on hot summer days. I'm also a big fan of innovation and I so I'm very impressed with what the folks at Loveblock vineyard created in the process of creating a truly "organic wine".