Jagermeister

So, I realize that it doesn’t make much sense to review such a common product, but I have seriously come across people in the last few days that have not tried it. Not to mention, with New Years coming up, there are a crap ton of drink recipes that you can look up.

Review :

If you aren’t familiar with Jager, basically it started out as a kind of cough remedy. It’s a distilled blend of like 50 some odd herbs and spices, It has a very distinct flavor and viscosity, and is technically considered a liqueur like Baily’s Irish Cream. One of the more popular ways to drink it is in a shot being dropped into a Red Bull as a “Jager Bomb”, or the way that I prefer it, in a glass with ice. My only issue is that drinking too much of it makes me extremely truthful, like getting shot in the knee ala Uma Thurman at the end of Kill Bill Volume 2. It is fairly sweet, and has a kind of licorice flavor to it. Unfortunately, it only comes in at 35% alcohol content, so it might take a lot for my fellow alcoholics to get buzzed. It’s sold at practically every liquor and grocery store with a liquor aisle that I have ever been too, so it should be easy to find.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Jager has a very distinct bottle. It’s a very deep green, mostly because the liquor itself is very dark. The label itself features the head of a buck, mostly because “Jager” in German apparently means “Hunter”.

Score : 20

The Taste : Jager has kind of a cough syrup taste to it, probably because it was created as a cough remedy. It is fairly sweet, but mixes well with the before mentioned Red Bull, as well as coke, and my personal favorite mixer Root Beer. I recommend keeping it in the freezer until you have a nice frost on the bottle, then just pouring a glass and throwing in a few ice cubes. It’s a great drink to sip.

Score : 20

The Buzz : The only downside to the buzz is two things. First, that I usually wind up spilling my guts about anything I am asked about. The Second, is that because of the low alcohol content, it takes a whole bottle to give me any kind of buzz, much like the flavored vodkas.

Score : 15

The Cost : My major drawback about Jager is the varying cost, depending on where you go. I have had different sized bottles all come in different price ranges. If you check out a few websites, you can probably find a good idea of what sized bottle you want to get will run you. I usually go for the 1 liter bottle, which will usually be about $30.

Score : 5

Total Score : 60

Jager isn’t for everyone, but I do recommend giving it a try if you have never had it.

Cheers.

No Review Today

Being that the Holidays are further approaching, I haven't had the funds to really try anything too new this week. Let alone anything that could be mixed with something that could be considered Holiday themed. So instead of just reviewing something I drank about 6 months ago and can barely remember some of the specific details on. So stay tuned for a new review next week for certain, because there will be something you might like for your "End of the World" party when the world ends on 12/21, and the week after for your New Years Eve Party. Until then, check out some of the older entries for stuff you might like for this weekend, and I'll be back soon.

Cheers.

Pinnacle Chocolate Whipped Vodka

So being that it’s just about Christmas time, don’t be surprised if I start reviewing a lot of products that will mix well with flavors associated with said Holiday.

Review :

So, granted, I have reviewed a lot of Pinnacle products. I promise, this is not going to be a strictly Pinnacle review blog, but we all have to admit that flavored vodka is possibly the most popular product on the shelves at the moment. In regards to this particular flavor, I tried it because some of the recipes I have seen involving hot chocolate, peppermint, and even eggnog. So if you want to try it with any of those, the recipes are all online. I drank mine straight up mostly because the sweetness was enough to not require a mixer or even a chaser. Although that may just be in my case, if you don’t think so then try it with some chocolate milk, goes great. Like all the Pinnacle products, this one comes in at 35% alcohol (70 proof). At the time I bought it, there was a pretty good sale on the Pinnacle line, so I got it for $9, but it usually retails for about $12. I usually get all my Pinnacle at BevMo, but they have a site locator on their website to help you out if can’t seem to find it anywhere.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Standard Pinnacle bottle. Still looks pretty cool when compared to certain other brands.

Score : 15

The Taste : Great chocolate flavor, very sweet, and probably not something that most people would like to drink a lot of straight up. Definitely try it in a mix, I have to imagine it pairs well with hot chocolate, but know that it definitely pairs great with the Pinnacle Cherry flavor. Seriously, it tastes like a Cherry Cordial.

Score : 25

The Buzz : Being that I finish whole bottles of this brand in a single sitting, I always get a buzz. One thing I am noticing is that with the fruit or less sweet flavors, I have a great buzz, and get one fairly quick because of how fast I drink it. With this flavor though I notice a sort of sugar crash about an hour or so after finishing it. I wound up chugging a bottle of water to try and keep from getting a headache. Just a warning.

Score : 15

The Cost : I have to say, given the quality and smoothness of the Pinnacle products, I am surprised they aren’t more expensive. They average $12 a bottle, which is a major steal.

Score : 20

Total Score : 75

All in all, another win for Pinnacle, and I am going to need to find some more Holiday related products for future reviews.

Cheers.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver

Took a small break for Thanksgiving. I’m back though, and here’s a new review.

Review :

More recently, I have found that I am beginning to have a problem with tequila blanco. I think it may stem from a time that I was dared to snort some. Anyways, Cuervo came out with these “Tradicional” types of tequila not too long ago. The bottle was initially what caught my eye. I think that the BevMo I was at may have still been trying to get rid of their Halloween shelf items, because it was designed to celebrate “The Day of the Dead”. Aside from that, this bottle had a cork instead of the standard twist cap, which is always a plus when it comes to preserving flavor. Only problem is that this stuff doesn’t have a very good one. Keep in mind that I am someone who thoroughly enjoys Cuervo gold, but this stuff was a forest fire in a bottle. The descriptions describe this stuff as being “Sweet, with a Spice” and use words like “Herbaceous”, but it burned the hell out of me as soon as it hit my tongue. I usually like my tequila blanco slightly chilled, but not freezing, so that I can sip it from a glass. There is no way in hell I was going to do it with this. Like I said, I got my bottle at BevMO, but I have to imagine you can find this at Rite-Aid or other grocery stores.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : This bottle was actually pretty cool. The decoration was kinda gnarly, and I always do prefer a cork top to a twist cap. It was a completely round bottle as opposed to the usually squared Cuervo bottle with rounded edges.

Score : 20

The Taste : I didn’t enjoy this stuff too much. I was able to finish the bottle, but had a pretty bad stomach ache the next day.

Score : 5

The Buzz : It was hard to get a buzz because the taste kept me from drinking shots frequently, but one was achieved, and it was fairly sketchy. Not my favorite from a tequila so far.

Score : 10

The Cost : My bottle cost $18 at BevMo, which was about $5 more than I think I should have paid for it. I didn’t think it was worth it at all.

Score : 5

Total Score : 40

I think this came in at the lowest rated thing I have had on here. I wouldn’t recommend it, if anything, I would probably spend the money on the Gold and just make some margaritas.

Cheers.

Three Olives : Cake

Being a fat kid, of course I had to try the cake flavor.

Review :

With how awesome the Pinnacle brand has been with their flavors, I decided to step out and try something else. I had heard great things about Three Olives, so when it was on sale I grabbed this flavor. As a straight shot, this stuff is nice and sweet, smells great, and has a good mouth feel. I couldn’t taste cake though specifically, it almost tasted more like just frosting as opposed to actual cake. A lot of the recipes I saw online had some kind of dairy product in them, which I cannot consume, so I just mixed mine with Root Beer. Sounds completely random, but worked very well. This stuff is 35% ABV or 70 proof, so getting a buzz was not that difficult. The only problem was that it was one that kind of snuck up on me. So remember to pace yourself. I got my bottle at BevMo for about $16, you can expect to pay around $19 on average.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Three Olives has some fairly “Fun” looking bottles for their out of the box flavors like this one or their “Loopy” flavor.  This one was decked out with sprinkle graphics and a semi-frosted bottle. It looked pretty cool, but also like something you’d see at a bridal shower.

Score : 20

The Taste : It tastes good, but not great. Very sweet, and no actual cake taste for me, it was like drinking liquid frosting.

Score : 15

The Buzz : I got a pretty good buzz, it snuck the hell up on me out of nowhere though. Then once it hit I couldn’t tell if I was actually drunk, or getting a sugar rush. The next day sucked though. I felt like I had just finished a tour at the Wonka factory. Major sugar crash, and a somewhat sick feeling.

Score : 5

The Cost : I got mine pretty cheap, but everything else considered, I probably should have just picked up a different flavor of Pinnacle.

Score : 15

Total Score : 55

I am still waiting for someone to come out with a cinnamon roll flavored vodka, so hopefully I will be able to review that soon. If someone already has, please forward the info. Also, please send in suggestions. I am always open to trying new stuff.

Cheers.

Kah Tequila Blanco

Told you I was going to try it.

Review :

So when it comes to tequila, I am usually either a fan of the ones that you can sip in a glass, or the ones that you can have a shot with your dinner. This would be the latter. I always love tequila blanco with a plate of enchiladas, and having bought this bottle on sale, I wish I would have had some. Instead I drank it while watching Monday Night Football. This stuff have an excellent mouth feel, very smooth taste, and a bit of a spicy after bite. Like the other Kah editions, the bottle is decorated in a “Day of the Dead” fashion, this one being all white with black markings on it. This one only comes in at 40% alcohol by volume or 80 proof, so it it very standard on that level, but the taste is that of a more premium product. My bottle was about $44 at BevMo, but you can find it online. I have found that if you do find it cheaper at an online retailer that the shipping costs often outweigh the savings on the actual cost.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Possibly my new favorite bottle as far as the decorations are concerned. Possibly because it resembles Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas so much. Either way, it looks freaking awesome.

Score : 25

The Taste : Great mouth feel, smooth taste, and a peppery after taste. If this as a description of a tequila doesn’t make you want to order some Carne Asada, I don’t know what will.

Score : 20

The Buzz : This stuff made me a happy drunk. Not the reaction I usually get from tequila, so that was a welcome surprise. The buzz was very fluid, and kind of snuck up on me.

Score : 15

The Cost : With this one being $44, and the other 2 from these guys that I have tried being around the same price, if not a bit more expensive, you can tell that it is a premium product. Honestly, if this one had been about $10 cheaper, I probably would have bought 3 of them.

Score : 10

Total Score : 70

There is apparently 1 last tequila from Kah that is floating around there. If I am ever able to afford it, I’ll probably post a review. Unless someone out there wants to send me a bottle, that would be nice.

Cheers.

Kilo Kai Spiced Rum

Halloween may be over, but that hasn’t stopped this booze blog.

For this review, I literally went through all of the isles at BevMo and tried to find something I hadn’t had before. I came across this rum, and decided to give it a try. This particular Rum is supposed to have hints of things like vanilla, cinnamon, and other spices. All of that, in addition to the fact that it is distilled from molasses, and is aged 3 years in old whiskey barrels gives this rum a fairly sweet and all over great flavor. I actually preferred it over the Captain Morgan I had the previous day, but will still take Bacardi’s Oakheart if given a choice. I had an initial shot, and thought that it had great mouth feel, good taste in general, and a very smooth finish. It went excellent with coke, and just sipping in a glass on the rocks. This does come in at only 35% alcohol content, or 70 proof like most spiced rum. Like I said, I found my bottle at BevMo, and haven’t seen it anywhere else so far. They unfortunately do not have a store locator on their site, but I am sure that if you check out some other online retailers, they may have it.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : This stuff has an awesome looking bottle. I have to admit that it was part of the reason I bought it to begin with. It has a brown, almost flat paint look to it. Not too mention, the logo looks freaking badass. Almost Punisher-esque. A real eye catcher. The only way it could have been any cooler would have been the inclusion of a cork rather than a regular screw on cap.

Score : 20

The Taste : This is a great tasting rum. It is fairly sweet, but wont give you the feeling that you ate too many snicker bars in the morning. Even if you do drink it with coke.

Score : 20

The Buzz : I am actually liking this trend of spiced rums that don’t leave you with that sugar crash feeling then next day. I had a very mellow buzz, and it lasted the duration of the night. Very pleasing.

Score : 20

The Cost : This stuff is about $18 for a 750ML bottle, even with the Club Bev card. To give you some comparison, the same size Captain Morgan is about $15, and the same size Bacardi Oakheart is only about $12. So if you really want to try it, I would say it is worth the price, but my old stand by is always going to be the Oakheart.

Score : 15

Total Score : 75

I guess considering the way the bottle looks, this stuff probably would have been a good choice for Halloween, but there is always next year. I would say that it’s definitely worth trying, and tell me that you do not want to talk like a Pirate.

Cheers.

Kah Tequila Anejo

Just in time for Halloween, another liquor bottled in a skull.

Previously, I had reviewed the Reposado type of this brand’s tequila. This time around I got the Anejo, and may or may not try the Blanco. All I know is that I saved this review for the week before Halloween because it was the only thing I have had lately that looks like it is perfect for the season.  The Anejo is supposed to have aromas of tobacco, chocolate, and coffee. I can tell you that it does have a fairly sweet smell, but you really get those aromas more when you are drinking it. It is very smooth and has a great mouth feel to it. Definitely a great sipping tequila. The design on the bottle is supposed to be representative of traditional Nicaraguan burial parties, so it should look pretty freaking awesome at your Halloween party. This bottle is only 40% alcohol by volume, so if you were looking for something with more of a punch you may want to try the Reposado. I got the bottle I had from BevMo, but there is a link to an online store on their website. If you go that route, be prepared to pay a lot more than you do at BevMo though.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Still one of the cooler looking bottles, mainly because of the decoration. I thought that the Reposado had an awesome design, but the simple black and white design of this one makes it look awesome, even outside of a Halloween decorum.

Score : 20

The Taste : This brand as a whole so far has great consistency so far with taste. Granted I have only had two varieties, but both were extremely smooth and totally worth just pouring a glass and sipping on it. I didn’t have mine on the rocks because ice always kills the agave flavor of tequila, but if you must have it on ice, I would say it’s probably still going to be very flavorful.

Score : 20

The Buzz : Great buzz, but a very lingering buzz. I finished my bottle pretty early, but still felt it throughout the night. Definitely good if you start drinking in the afternoon on a Saturday.

Score : 20

The Cost : The only thing that has been an issue with this brand has been the price. This bottle goes for about $60 at Bevmo. If you check out the link to buy online from their website, the bottle is $105, and I don’t know if that includes shipping. So comparatively, it would be better to get the Bevmo price, but if it was about $20 cheaper, I know I would be drinking it more often. Like everything else, I guess it’s just a premium price for a premium product.

Score : 10

Total Score : 70

Going through and writing this review, I kind of made up my mind and will be trying the Blanco soon. It probably won’t be reviewed for a while, but I will definitely try it.

Cheers.

Pinnacle Vodka : Pumpkin Pie

I know, we just finished up Pinnacle Appreciation Month a few weeks ago, but this flavor is a seasonal selection that is only going to be available for a limited time.

Review :

 I said it before and I’ll say it again, Pinnacle vodka is awesome. This flavor is being marketed as tasting like real deal pumpkin pie with whipped cream. They have come through once more. This is possibly my new favorite flavor from Pinnacle. I did my traditional first shot once I got my bottle, and it was smooth, great pumpkin spice flavor, and a cool finish. I didn’t know what else to mix it with because I normally don’t mix drinks, and I doubted that this would taste any good with a bottle of coke. I started making shooters with just some chocolate milk. Must say, freaking awesome. It is the standard 35% (70 proof) for flavored vodka, and I killed an entire bottle. I got my bottle from Bevmo of course, but have seen it sold on other online liquor stores. I actually had a hard time getting my bottle when it was first launched, because it is apparently flying off the shelves faster than they can be stocked. So if you are able to find it, definitely try it, and if you like it and are able to, then stock up on it because it wont be around for long. In fact, send me a bottle.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Pinnacle has a standard bottle for all of their vodkas, so I have to take some points away. I do like that it is easily identifiable because it is the clear blue bottle sitting on the shelf.

Score : 5

The Taste : This stuff tastes awesome. I seriously wanted to grab some coffee so that I could pumpkin up a latte. It’s not too sweet, not syrupy at all, and has a dead on flavor.

Score : 25

The Buzz : Being able to polish off an entire bottle makes getting a buzz easy. I have never had a harsh buzz from drinking any of the pinnacle products, so this comes highly recommended.

Score : 25

The Cost : Still only $12. The thing that makes this brand so great is that for the flavor, and all the possibilities and potential that these products have, the price makes it a steal.

Score : 25

Total Score : 80

Definitely worth the price, and was worth waiting for BevMo to get some more in stock. I have to imagine that if you go through the Pinnacle site and contact some of the distributors that it may be much easier to find.

Cheers.

La Pinta Infused Tequila

Was looking for something different, and my cousin suggested this.

Review :

Firstly, when it comes to tequila, I never chill it. I find that it ruins the flavor. It should be at room temperature, even if you plan on serving it on the rocks. However, this is an infused tequila, which basically makes it almost a wine. So go ahead and stick this stuff in the freezer for a bit. Now, I must say that it tastes great. Great flavor, and you hardly taste any alcohol. I chugged the bottle. Probably has something to do with the fact that it is only 19% alcohol, or at least the one that I had was. Apparently there is some stronger versions out there, but I probably can’t get them here because of certain regulations on alcohol content in types of beverages. I am not sure why anyone would want to mix this with something else, but it would probably be good with some sprite, or even in a batch of sangria. I have only found this stuff online and at BevMo. The average price is around $40 a bottle. At the time of writing this, the company’s website is under construction, so I couldn’t find any other info on it other that it’s infused with Pomegranate .


Breakdown :

The Bottle : This stuff actually has a pretty awesome bottle. It’s a unique shape, a fancy label, and even has an agave plant engraved on the cap. It was a bit of a pain to try and open, but I think that may have to do with how the bottle I bought was being stored.

Score : 20

The Taste : Tastes great. I thought the flavor was right one, of course I love pomegranate. The tequila portion was very smooth, in fact, you could barely tell that there was any alcohol in it.

Score : 25

The Buzz : I didn’t get one. If someday I am able to find this stronger version that supposedly exists, I might be able to. Sadly though, this was only 19% alcohol, so I had to swill some other stuff I had on hand to get a buzz.

Score : 0

The Cost : I got my bottle for $40, and that’s the BevMo price. Honestly, for the money, I would have preferred something stronger. Keeping in mind that I could have bought 3 bottles of Pinnacle for the same price, and drank for 2 nights. I would say that if you have the money and are looking for something different, you might want to try this.

Score : 5

Total Score : 50

Yes this is technically a low score, but you have to keep the categories in mind. This stuff tastes great, and looks cool, but it is a bit expensive for the alcohol content, and if you aren’t a light weight you probably wont get a buzz.

Cheers.

Malibu Red

Getting back in the swing of things, here is something that I guess is pretty new.

Review :

I guess Malibu released this some time in March this year. I didn’t hear about it, but I tend to follow vodka and whiskey more than rums. Anyways, this is supposed to be a blend of a smooth Caribbean rum, coconut liqueur, and clear tequila. I must say, bravo. I wasn’t able to finish a whole bottle because my roommate bought it and I didn’t want to down all his booze. We did have a chance to try it with both lemonade and orange juice. The lemonade was very good, we even added a splash of the Pinnacle Cherry flavored Vodka and made it into a killer cocktail. I think it paired even better with the orange juice though, simple yet elegant. The coconut isn’t very overpowering, so it made mixing much better. The tequila is almost nil, I couldn’t have told you that it was there if I didn’t read the label. Since this is technically a flavored Rum, it only rings in at 35% alcohol, but with all the possibilities for mixes, you shouldn’t have trouble getting a buzz. My roommate got his bottle from Bevmo, so I know for sure that it is there. Normally it is about $19 for a bottle, but if you have your ClubBev card it should run about $16. Unfortunately, the Malibu Rum website doesn’t seem to have a store locator, so you may want to try to find another way to see if someone near you has it. Or go to BevMo.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Very cool bottle. Given the name and the big red ring on the label, I honestly though this stuff was going to be red in color, but it’s completely clear. Not being a very big Malibu fan, I probably wouldn’t have thought of trying this stuff before, but the bottle alone is very attractive.

Score : 20

The Taste : This stuff tastes great. A little syrupy if you try to take shots of it, but pairs excellent with both lemonade and orange juice, so I have to imagine it would pair well with various other fruit juices.

Score : 20

The Buzz : I did get a buzz. However, I have to equally contribute it to the things that I was mixing it with. If flavored vodkas are any indicators, I would probably need to polish off about a bottle and a half of this by itself to get the same buzz I had.

Score : 15

The Cost : Pretty reasonably priced considering it’s versatility, and because I get the BevMo discount. Although, for the price you could probably find something stronger, but probably wouldn’t taste as good.

Score : 15

Total Score : 70

If you are looking for something that looks good sitting in your freezer when you have company over that tastes good, you’ll probably love this. If you are just looking to get hammered on a Friday night, I’d go with the UV 103.

Cheers.

Pinnacle Vodka Appreciation Month : Week 5 : Tropical Punch

Closing out our first “Themed” set of reviews this month, will be one of the flavors I was a little surprised with, Tropical Punch Pinnacle Vodka.

Review :

So, the reason that I have to say that I was surprised by this one was because of the drink ability. Some of the other flavors like the cookie dough and the whipped cream flavors of Pinnacle were not very good to me when I drank them on the rocks. This one however is a different story. It has the usual smooth flavor I had come to expect from the Pinnacle brand, was very sweet, and had a variety of fruit flavors. I could have easily sipped the whole bottle, but would have probably never gotten a buzz. So, I tried some mixes, and found them equally enjoyable. This flavor works extremely well with Sprite, and with Hawaiian Punch. Needless to say, the bottle was gone in about an hour. This along with the cherry were easily my two favorites that I have been able to get. In fact, try mixing a shot of the tropical punch and a shot of the cherry in a glass with ice, and fill the rest of the glass with Hawaiian Punch. It is awesome. Same as before, this flavor comes in at 35% alcohol, and is available at BevMo, or you can find who has it in your area on their website.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Standard bottle for all Pinnacle products.

Score : 5

The Taste : Like I said, probably my favorite flavor along with the cherry. I think that these two should definitely be on the top of your list of flavors to try if you have never had Pinnacle before.

Score : 25

The Buzz : If I had just stuck to sipping this flavor, I probably wouldn’t have gotten a buzz at all. However, switching and drinking it with Hawaiian Punch allowed me to polish off the bottle before the credits rolled on the show I was watching. Very Mellow buzz.

Score : 25

The Cost : Once again, $12 for ClubBev members. Honestly, considering the possible uses for this particular flavor, that is a steal.

Score : 25

Total Score : 80

So concludes the first ever “Pinnacle Appreciation Month”. Maybe next year we will highlight a different product, or if more flavors become available to me, just make this an annual thing.

Cheers.

Pinnacle Vodka Appreciation Month : Week 4 : Gummy

Haha, bet you didn’t know that this flavor was out there. Unless you checked the website out and saw all the flavors that Pinnacle has. In which case I’ll call you a cheater. Nonetheless, I present you with the Gummi review.

Review :

I am a huge fan of Swedish Fish. For some reason, every time that I mentioned this flavor to friends, they thought I was talking about a vodka that literally tasted like fish. I am sure that exists too, but was a little disappointed that nobody knew anything about the damned candy.  Needless to say, I had to try it. I took a shot fresh out the bottle, and wow. It tasted dead on a hand full of the freaking candies. I decided to keep the drinks simple because I don’t know that the flavor would go well with anything else, so I spent the rest of the night drinking this stuff with Sprite. Again, this flavor comes in at 35% alcohol. I have been able to find it on the shelf at one of the BevMos in my city, but it is available to ship and you can also buy it on the Bevmo site and have it ready to be picked up from the store.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Standard Pinnacle Botlle.

Score : 10

The Taste : Unless you are a fan of the Swedish Fish candy, you probably aren’t going to like this one. I enjoyed it with Sprite, but am going to have to try some of the recipes I have found online.

Score : 25

The Buzz : Once again, able to finish a whole bottle, and a very mellow buzz.

Score : 25

The Cost : Still, just $12. It pays to be a Club Bev member.

Score : 25

Total Score : 85

Like I said, this one isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you like the candy, you will probably like this one. I did find a drink recipe online that is supposed to make a drink that tastes like the watermelon flavored Sour Patch Kids, so I’ll have to try that out and report back.

Cheers.

Pinnacle Vodka Appreciation Month : Week 3 : Cherry

This week, we are highlighting my favorite of the flavors that Pinnacle has released.

Review :

I love cherry flavored stuff. Candy, soda, ice cream, etc. So, I was completely down to try this one. In fact, I made sure to get about 6 or 7 things to mix this stuff with. Needless to say, I loved it. It went excellent with coke, because it tasted like a cherry coke. It went great with sprite, because it tasted like a cherry sprite. It even went freaking great with Gatorade. Having had other cherry flavored vodkas, most of which wound up tasting like cherry cough syrup, I can say that this is probably the best of the bunch. It is readily available at Bevmo locations and Bevmo.com, and like with the other flavors you can always check out the Pinnacle site for a store locator.

Breakdown :

The Bottle : Standard Pinnacle bottle.

Score : 10

The Taste : Freaking Awesome. My favorite drink is simply with sprite on ice. Definitely try it with anything that could use a cherry kick.

Score : 25

The Buzz : Once again, being able to finish a whole bottle has an advantage. I have had nothing but mellow buzzes from this line of products, so you can probably expect one as well.

Score : 25

The Cost : Still around $11 to $13 per bottle, so make sure that if you are buying from Bevmo to sign up for a ClubBev card, because if you like these products as much as I do, you are going to be racking up reward points.

Score : 25

Total Score : 85

Again, if you have any great drink ideas let me know, I’d definitely like to try them.

Cheers.

Pinnacle Vodka Appreciation Month : Week 2 : Cookie Dough

In the second installment, we take a look at one of the more out there flavors that most probably wouldn’t have expected to exist.

Review :

I Actually had high hopes for this one after trying the Glazed Donut vodka a few weeks back. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Whether having a straight shot, or mixing with something else, this flavor is dead on the taste of cookie dough. I would even wager to say that I prefer it over the Donut flavor. So far, my favorite pairings have been with dairy based products like Nesquik, or the Starbucks pre-made drinks. It was even great with some Kahlua mixed in, as well as mixed and matched with some of the other Pinnacle flavors. Definitely try it with the whipped cream and a little bit of milk, it is amazing. Like the other flavors, this one was also only 35% alcohol, and I have seen it at every Bevmo in my city, and on their website. Again, if you are still not sure where it might be available, check out the Pinnacle website. They have a useful store locator.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Same standard Pinnacle bottle, which initially got points, but I have to knock a few off in future reviews because it is a “Standard Bottle”.

Score : 10

The Taste : This stuff tastes amazing. Try it in some of the mixes I listed, or find a few of your own, and let me know what you think, because I am always looking for new recipes.

Score : 25

The Buzz : Another mellow buzz. I personally am able to finish off a whole bottle by myself, but that might be too much for some people. If you find a drink recipe that you love, then you will probably not have an issue getting drunk.

Score : 25

The Cost : Just for the record, I have complaints about standard bottles, but not standard prices. Depending on where you are able to find it, or if you have a Bevmo club card, you are looking to pay between $11-$13 per bottle. In my opinion, still very reasonable.

Score : 25

Total Score : 85

Like I said, if you have any ideas of what else would be great, let me know. Or if you think I am wrong, email me as well.

Cheers.

Pinnacle Vodka Appreciation Month : Week 1 : Berry Flavor

And so begins our first special run of posts. This month, granted it is not actually September yet, will be dedicated one of, if not the best distributors of flavored vodkas. Some will favor better than others, but none of it will be because of personal bias. By that, I mean that if anything tastes like raspberry, it’s not going to lose points because I hate raspberry. It’s actually why I chose this flavor to review first.

Review :

Pinnacle has over 30 flavors of their vodka. I so far have found about 9 in my city. However, they are distributed by BevMo, so if you want a flavor that they do not have on the shelf, they are able to special order from their distributors. On to the berry. I have to say that initially, the berry was my least favorite. I am not a “Berry” person generally. If you do like berry flavored stuff, you might enjoy it. I tend to mix my flavored vodkas with sprite as I think that it tends to mellow out the vodka burn you get, while maintaining the integrity of the flavor. It definitely helped in this case. Later, my roommate suggested that I mix in some of the whipped cream flavor as well, and hot damn! Those two together tasted dead on a fucking creamsicle. I was utterly impressed. As usual, since it is flavored, all of these will come up to 35% alcohol (70 proof), but the flavor itself makes the experience worth it. This was one flavor that I have not seen at all BevMo stores, but luckily, if you ARE looking for it or any other flavor, the Pinnacle website has a store locator that actually works! They also allow you to enter your zip code and contact distributors directly.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Pinnacle has a standard bottle, shocking. They do get points however, for their bottle being a different colored glass, and for having an easily identifiable picture, allowing you to know what flavor you are purchasing.

Score : 15

The Taste : As a shot, this stuff is decent. Lots of Berry flavor, but you also have a strong vodka presence. I recommend mixing with Sprite, Sprite and the whipped cream flavored Pinnacle, or even lemonade for best results.

Score : 25

The Buzz : I am able to polish off a whole bottle of this stuff, no problem. Extremely mellow buzz, and since it mixes well with other flavors, you can grab 3 or 4 different bottles and mix and match.

Score : 25

The Cost : At Bevmo, I get a bottle for around $11. What can I say, it pays to be a clubBev member. At another liquor store, I did find it and paid about $13. Both prices are pretty standard for vodka, let alone a flavored one. All other things considered though, this stuff is a steal for the BevMo price.

Score : 20

Total Score : 85

I have to admit that part of my making September into “Pinnacle Vodka Appreciation Month”, was because of the awesome flavors, and the other part was because it wasn’t a pain in the ass to get like the Glazed Donut stuff. Either way, what started as me wanting to find another way to lambaste that other company, turned into me finding what I think is an excellent product. Definitely check out Pinnacle’s website and see if any of the flavors catch your eye. Or just stay tuned to this blog, because for the rest of September, we will only be reviewing Pinnacle products.

Cheers.

Smirnoff Watermelon Vodka

First, big announcement. The month of September is going to be “Pinnacle Vodka Appreciation Month”. We will only be reviewing Pinnacle products, and who knows, maybe even have a contest. Either way, we will have a new review next week as usual, but after that, it will be a new Pinnacle product every week until October. So stay tuned, especially if the contest thing works out. Now, new review.

Review :

I have to say, that aside from the Glazed Donut vodka, I hadn’t really been too keen on drinking flavored vodkas. I always prefer a straight vodka to the flavored ones strictly because of things like alcohol content, and how well they go with coke. I do like watermelon flavor though, so I decided to try this one out. Rather than coke though, I went with fruit punch Gatorade. Must say, the initial shot I usually take when opening a new bottle, sucked. It tasted like someone dumped a bottle of rubbing alcohol on a piece of watermelon, and I just took a big ole’ bite. Mixed however, was a different story. I usually have about a 50/50 ratio of alcohol to mixers when making my drinks, so there was still some of the alcohol burn, but the watermelon came through much better. I don’t know if this is just because it is a Smirnoff product, or because I used too much alcohol, or even because I was drinking it with Gatorade, but there was a lot more burn that when I usually mix drinks with my alcohol. A little surprising because like most flavored drinks, it is only 35% alcohol (70 proof). I have seen this at most grocery stores, so you should not have a problem finding it. If you do decide to get it, you  might want to find a mixer that compliments Watermelon, because I know the Gatorade thing is not for everyone.

Breakdown

The Bottle : Still the same standard Smirnoff bottle. Except that the label was a lighter red, or almost pink color.

Score : 5

The Taste : Straight shots : This stuff is gross. Mixed drinks : I can see an appeal, and thought it was pretty freaking good.

Score : 20

The Buzz : I finished the whole bottle. Had me pretty buzzed by the end of the night. Worked out great too because there was a new episode of Grimm on that night.

Score : 20

The Cost : I got my bottle at the grocery store, it was on sale for about $12. Pretty cheap, but probably a great addition to a big batch of Jungle Juice or something.

Score : 15

Total Score : 60

Not very highly rated. Mostly because I have been spoiled over the years with great tasting vodkas, and moved away from the Smirnoff vodkas of my youth. Other than drinking it straight up, it is pretty tasty, and something I would ;probably get again.

Cheers.

Johnny Walker Double Black

Oooooh, Fancy stuff strikes again.

Review :

I had to do a bit of research on this product, mostly because I got hooked up with a free bottle. Suck it retailers that don’t carry such items, and thank you Ozzy. What  found in my searches was that there weren’t as many reviews of this stuff as you might think their would be for an item that is labeled as a “Limited Edition”. What is supposed to set this one apart from the standard black label Johnny Walker is that is a blend of west coast whiskey, and is supposed to be more “Smokey” than that standard black. Having had the black and now the double black, I can say job well done. This product is definitely smokey, and actually a bit more smooth than the standard black. Obviously it is a bit more expensive than the black, but you can kind of expect that because again, it is a limited edition. Or is it? Also during my research, I had found that you used to be only able to get this at airport duty free shops, but then expanded to a global launch. So it SHOULD be available at places that you would be able to find your Johnny Walker any other day. This bottle is a pretty standard 40% alcohol by volume (80 Proof), and comes in a pretty cool box that looks like it has a wood finish. I drank my bottle on the rocks, and had a few mixed with coke. Both would probably be the ideal way to drink it.

Breakdown :

The Bottle : Like Everything else apparently, Johnny Walker has a standard bottle style. The thing that kind of set this one apart for me was the design of the label. It is obviously a bit more fancy looking than say a Jim Beam label. Also, the box I mentioned. Granted, it is an extra step to go through to enjoy your whiskey, but it gives it a cool presentation, and makes it a perfect gift item.

Score : 20

The Taste : Smokey, and smooth. My friend told me that he preferred it over the Johnny Walker Blue, I’ll have to agree. Although, I still prefer the taste of the Red, especially mixed with Ginger Ale. This was a great bottle to drink on the rocks, and given the price, it’s a great value for that classic Johnny Walker flavor.

Score : 25

The Buzz : I got smashed. It hit me like a ton of bricks. It was awesome. It took about an hour or so to actually hit me, but when it did, I was swimming.

Score : 20


The Cost : This product will run you between $50 and $70, depending on where you get it from. It is available to order if you cannot find it anywhere as well. Considering that the same sized bottle of Johnny Walker blue will cost you about 3 times what this costs, it might be a way better substitution. Still a little pricy for some people, but in my opinion, worth it if you are a scotch whiskey fan.

Score : 20

Total Score : 85

Now I know that this has been the highest reviewed product on this blog. I actually bothered to check. It isn’t going to be everyone cup of tea, but for the people who are fans, this is a great item.

Cheers.

360 Brand Glazed Donut Vodka

Let me just say, that finding this stuff was a bitch. My biggest complaint about it has been trying to fucking find it. If you don’t know what I am talking about, you can read about it here.

Review :

Aside from the major pain in the ass that it was to finally get this stuff, including the time that it took waiting for it to ship, after a total of 39 days after it’s release, I was able to get a bottle of this stuff. Let me say, the first shot that I took once we cracked open the bottle tasted amazing. It was dead on the flavor of a glazed donut. It had no after taste, but was intensely sweet. Obviously because it was a flavored vodka, there was slightly less alcohol content, it was 35% alcohol by volume (70 proof). I avoided mixing this with my usual bottle of coke. Instead, we made White Russians, and mixed it with the bottled Starbucks drinks for the coffee and donut flavor. Not as good as drinking it neat, but pretty decent. Now, as for availability, If you did not click on the linked post, I will give you a quick rundown. Apparently, you cannot find this stuff on the West Coast. The 360 vodka website has a store locator, so you can see if they have it anywhere near you. Don’t bother asking the company for any help if you can’t find a place that carries it on there, all they will tell you is to ask someone to special order it for you. If you can’t find it on their store locator, check out www.wincechateau.com. I was able to find it there, and quite honestly they had the lowest shipping rate.

Breakdown :

The Bottle : 360 has a pretty nifty standard bottle. They all have a cap with a rubber gasket and locking mechanism, like you might have seen on some micro-brewery beer bottles. I found that this kept the scent from attracting ants, and actually kept the vodka cool. So, points for them.

Score : 15

The Taste : Like I said, straight up, and it tastes like a donut. It actually has me wondering what some of the other flavors taste like. I don’t know if I will bother reviewing any of them though, just because I already know what kind of a headache that I will get trying to find them.

Score : 25

The Buzz : I actually didn’t get so much of a buzz, but definitely passed out. This stuff tastes great, so you want to drink a lot of it quickly. I wouldn’t really call it much of a buzz.

Score : 10

The Cost : Unless you can find it at a local store, or one of them is willing to order it for no extra charge, get ready to pay out of your ass. The bottle itself retails for about $17, which is a reasonable for a bottle of vodka. However, if you have to order it like I did, you are also going to be paying an out of state sales tax and a shipping price. This brought my total expense up to almost $40. This stuff is good, but if they had provided me any kind of assistance in actually finding this crap, or if any of the liquor store owners in my city weren’t dicks, I could have bought 2 bottles and a bag of chips. So if you don’t live where this stuff is readily available, the only excuse I can give you as to why you would pay so much for it is general curiosity.

Score : 0

Total Score : 50

Here again is my reasoning for being pissy about this brand. Link. As for everything else, it does taste great, and if you want to try it, go for it. At least you can say that you did.

Cheers.

No Update

You might have noticed that there hasn't been a review since the Devil's Cut. No, I didn't die, and no, I haven't already gone through every product at the liquor store yet. The reason for the lack of an update is simple. I am in protest. I am protesting 360 vodka. I literally went to every single place that sells alcohol in my city. It took me an entire week to do, but I did it. In all of these places, guess how many of them carried the Glazed Donut Vodka? Better yet, guess how many carried ANY 360 products, or even knew what the hell it was? One. There was one place that had 360 products. Not the Glazed Donut, which is getting great reviews from what I have seen, but a whopping selection of 3 of their vodkas. I have emailed and facebooked these people asking if there was anywhere near me to buy their products. Their response? Ask your local liquor stores to special order it. So I do. The two places that were even willing to do so were not able to get the specific flavor I requested, because it is apparently "Unavailable in most markets". I try the company again, hoping to find out that there is some online store where I can find their product, and I got the same answer as before. So I took it upon myself to find an online liquor store that would be able to ship me this product. For a $17 bottle of vodka, apparently the shipping cost is about $20. That's right, $37 for a bottle of vodka that retails for $17. All because the geniuses that make this garbage couldn't provide me with any help, other than "Ask someone else". I paid it. I am currently waiting for it to arrive from the other side of the country. I will try it, and I will review it. I cannot guarantee that my review will not contain harsh language, or some completely liable statements about 360 vodka, but I will review it. Until I receive my order, I will not be posting any reviews, because frankly, the idea that I had to jump through so many hoops for one fucking bottle just makes all the liquor I have had since ordering it taste like bile. I don't know if finally trying this stuff will make me feel better about the whole situation, but I guess we will have to wait and see. Until then, I have been trying other stuff, I do have other reviews to post, but they are being pushed back, because of what is apparently the Greatest fucking vodka ever. So, keep an eye out. Hopefully I will be back in the swing of things this week.

Jim Beam Devil's Cut

Just a note, if you go to BevMo and pick this stuff up, make sure to wear your Slipknot shirt. Apparently, the cashiers are required to sing “The Heretic Anthem” while ringing you up. Not really, but the guy that was handling the counter when I went in did, so give it a shot, see what happens.

Review :

Normally, I don’t really care when a Bourbon or Whiskey advertise that their new product has been aged in a specific type of barrel, or has “Flavorful notes of (insert aromatic ingredient here)”. It always seemed to me like they are trying to turn something as great as Bourbon into a spiced Rum or something. Which led to some confusion on my part when I first cracked open this bottle. It smelled like a spiced rum, the first shot had an initial mouth feel like a spiced rum, but the after taste was clearly bourbon. When I say after taste, I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way. I like the way that bourbon tastes, so this was actually a good thing. The added flavoring kind of masked a bit of the initial bite that you get from Bourbon, plus this particular product has a bit more alcohol content in it (90 proof, 45% alcohol), so that was a welcome bonus. Needless to say, I got a fairly good buzz. It was pretty good straight up, but went great with my usual coke. I did happen to see on the website that they actually do recommend drinking it both ways, in addition to on the rocks, and neat. They clearly want this to almost be a sipping Bourbon. I can see it, but whether or not I’ll follow through with their suggestion is neither here nor there. I found my bottle at BevMo, but the Jim Beam website has a VERY useful locator on it that allows you to search based on your zip code and which specific type of Jim Beam you are looking for. So check it out.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Seriously? I don’t know what the hell the deal is with companies and their standard bottles, but here is another one. The major difference, like most others, is that the label is different. It’s actually pretty cool, when considering that that the original flavor has a pretty boring label.

Score : 15

Taste : This stuff does taste good. I have to give them some credit. I would actually even be inclined to take it OVER the original Jim Beam. I still don’t know why you would want a Bourbon to taste like a spiced Rum, but I guess that is why I am writing here, and not the CEO of Jim Beam. Definitely try it neat, on the rocks, as a shot, and with coke. If you are a fan of Bourbon at all, I am sure you’ll find something that you like.

Score : 25

The Buzz : I actually caught a pretty quick buzz. Bourbon does that to me. Plus this is a little bit stronger than Original Jim Beam, and went so well with coke that I drank it pretty fast. Very mellow buzz, definitely a product I am going to get again.

Score : 25

The Cost : Depending on where you find it, the 750 ML bottle will run you between $20 and $28. So the price is a real downside to this. If it was a set $20 bill, then it would be extremely worth it. I had to go way out of my way, and made sure to bring my ClubBev card to get it. Still, if you like Bourbon, might be worth the price tag for you.

Score 15

Total Score : 80

I would go through all of my other reviews to see if this is in fact the highest score I have given anything on here, but I am lazy. If you want to find out, do it yourself. Either way, for the money, I find it to be a great choice, considering the taste, and how drunk you will get.

Cheers

Jack Daniels Tennesse Honey

Yes, another Jack Daniels product. Slow news day.

Review :

The first time I tried this flavor of Jack, it was actually one of those gift sets that I received for Christmas. What can I say? My family knows what I like. Anyways, this is yet another victory for Jack Daniels. When I saw that it was supposed to taste like honey, and actually does, I have to give credit. This stuff taste like straight honey. So much so, that I got a major sugar rush once the bottle was finished. If you are a fan of Honey, you could probably drink it straight. Surprisingly, I did not like it too mush with my standard bottle of coke. I did however enjoy it a lot with some unsweetened tea. Seriously, one or two shots in a Snapple, and you’ll probably be set. This stuff is incredibly smooth too. You don’t get a weird after taste like you do with some other flavored liquors. It rings in at only 35% alcohol or 70 proof, but its easy drinkability makes it easier to catch a buzz. I have seen it everywhere that sells the original Jack, including BevMo, so you should have no problem finding it.

Breakdown :

The Bottle : Unlike the Gentleman Jack or the Single Barrel, this product comes in the same style bottle that the original Jack comes in. The only thing that is different is the label. Instead of the classic black label that the other kind has, this one has a white label with a bee on it.

Score ; 5

Taste : True to it’s name, it tastes like honey. I didn’t like it too much with coke or root beer, but it tasted great with tea. I did notice that the honey taste did die off pretty quick once I drank the sodas, but mixing them didn’t have very good results. It’s extremely smooth, which makes drinking it straight much easier.

Score 25

The Buzz : The buzz itself was a good one. I enjoyed it. The next day was an entirely different story. I don’t get hangovers, so that wasn’t an issue. The problem was the weird, sugary feeling I had in my stomach. It was the same feeling you would probably get from eating a jar of honey. I wouldn’t know, I’m not a bear.

Score : 15

The Cost : This stuff will cost you about the same as a regular bottle of Jack. Which actually kind of bummed me out because on the lower alcohol content. You would think that the stuff with the higher alcohol content would be more expensive. Either way, depending on where you get it, you are looking at about $18 for a 750 ML bottle. I haven’t seen it in a 1.75 L bottle, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t make it.

Score : 15

Total Score : 60

This brand tastes great, the only real draw back is that sugary crash feeling you would probably get the next day, and that it could be a little bit cheaper. I mean, if this were being sold for $2 cheaper, it would probably have gotten a full 25 points on the cost scale. Also, try changing the bottle. It doesn’t have to be all cartoony and be in the shape of a bee like some kind of alcoholic Mrs. Butterworth, but you could make it stand out a bit more than just changing the label color.

Cheers

Smirnoff Marshmallow Vodka

I had teased that I was going to be reviewing the newly released Glazed Donut vodka, but since my luck is terrible, I was not able to find it anywhere. Inquiries on the official face book page for that particular vodka keep telling me to check back soon, so who knows when I might have that review in. So, since I did not want to leave the numerous grocery and liquor stores that I checked last week empty handed, I decided to check this one out.

Review :

To be fair, Smirnoff wasn’t the first to do this particular flavored vodka. I am not 100% sure who did, but I do know it wasn’t them. Anyways, this stuff delivers as far as taste goes. I did my standard first shot to try the taste straight up, and you get massive marshmallow flavor. I stuck the bottle in the freezer for a little while, and got some stuff to mix it with based on various drink recipes that I had found online. I tried it with lemonade, because if you mix equal parts lemonade with this vodka its supposed to taste like a lemon meringue pie, and it did. Probably my favorite of the combinations I tried. The only real downside to this particular product is that obviously with the flavoring there is less alcohol content. Not that it matters too much, because I have yet to find someone who can actually sit and drink these flavored drinks straight up, you are always going to want to mix it with something, which means that your alcohol content goes from being 30% to being slightly diluted. Plus the added liquid fills you up quicker, so you are likely to drink less. I found this stuff at virtually every place that I went to in my quest to find the donut vodka, so it is very available. It comes in a variety of sizes, so you can have a little or you can have a lot.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Yet again, we have Smirnoff’s signature bottle. Nothing special, nothing new, except that the actual Smirnoff logo looks like it got a bit of an upgrade. Other than that, you probably couldn’t tell the difference between this and any other flavor from a distance.

Score : 5

Taste : It does taste pretty good on its own. You do get a bit of an after taste that you would expect from any flavored vodka, but other than that, straight marshmallow flavor. For the best results, I would say mix it with something. I mentioned mixing with lemonade before, probably my favorite because it does taste like a pie. The other that I found worked pretty good was mixing with two parts chocolate milk. I used the bottled nesquik. It was supposed to taste like a chocolate sundae, I didn’t think so, but the marshmallow paired well with the chocolate.

Score : 25

The Buzz : I actually got a pretty decent buzz from this. Of course I was drinking it pretty quick, but was pretty buzzed by the time that my tv shows were on later that evening.

Score : 20

The Cost : Very reasonably priced. At least for a flavored product. I know that I have seen some other brands various flavored versions sell for as much if not more than their original flavors, but this one was at least $3 cheaper. So that was a plus. You can usually find it for about $12-$14 depending on where you go.

Score : 20

Total Score : 70

Aside from being utterly surprised by how much I like this stuff, I was totally bummed about the lack of the glazed donut. However, if I had to find a way to fill the void, I am glad I tried this stuff. Definitely worth trying, even if you don’t like vodka. Now if I can only find a way to make a drink that tastes like a smore, I’d be set.

Cheers.

No Review Today

So, while I said I would have a new review every Thursday, I have to postpone today's entry. Why? Because Saturday, I will be sampling and then reviewing the newly released Glazed Donut flavored Vodka. Also, I just got back from vacation, and have about a weeks worth of work to get done in 2 days. So give me a break.

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel

I am a big fan of ole Jack Daniels. So I obviously try to taste all of their other products as well.

Review :

This particular incarnation was starting to show up on shelves in the early 2000s. Obviously before I was 21, so I only got to try it a couple of years ago. Needless to say, I made the fatal mistake of popping the bottle open and just taking a swig like it was the original Jack. It would have been the only whiskey I would have ever spit out in my 25 years on this Earth. Not from the taste, but just out of surprise because of the slightly higher alcohol content and because this is not a drink you do shots of. After I chugged a good amount of my coke to avoid losing my lunch, I did a bit of research on it. Turns out, this is supposed to be more of a sipping whiskey. With that in mind, I poured some in a glass on the rocks. WAY better then the first drink. I found myself slowly drinking this stuff like a weird looking Bond Villain, and thoroughly enjoying the shit out of this stuff. It smelled exquisite, and had a sweet, yet smoky taste to it. Like I said, it does have slightly more alcohol content, as it is 47% or 94 Proof, but that doesn’t ruin the flavor at all. After doing my research I didn’t bother mixing it with anything, for the first few drinks, but general curiosity had me mixing with coke later that evening. Must say, not bad. I personally prefer it by itself though.  I have seen it at every liquor store that I visit, and in most grocery stores in that little case where they keep all the expensive stuff, so if you want to try it out it should be readily available.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : I have to give the makers some credit on this one. The bottle is fairly unique in that it totally looks like something you could sit on your counter and call it the start of your own bar. It’s the type of thing that you might see some evil executive from some crappy movie or TV show *cough* Mad Men *cough* offering someone sitting in his office. Pretty classy Jack Daniels.

Score : 20

Taste : If you are going to just drink this stuff out of the bottle, first, you’re crazy, and second, you might not like it much. However, if you do treat it like a nicely aged Scotch, and just nurse it, you are in for a treat.

Score : 20

The Buzz : I drank my whole bottle in one night, and must say that I had a fairly mellow buzz. Not too drunk to be aware that Family Guy made a great joke, but not so buzzed that I would dare think of watching anything on the CW. I have a feeling that if I would have finished a second bottle, I wouldn’t have puked or anything, but with everything else, too much of anything isn’t always a good thing.

Score : 15

The Cost : The only real downside about this stuff is the actual cost of it. If you can afford it, definitely worth the price. If you are looking to get drunk for less, this stuff is not for you. I personally enjoyed the hell our of this stuff, but know that I can’t afford to drink it all the time, so it is pretty much just a special occasion thing for me. You can find it for around $45 a bottle, depending on where you go.

Score : 10

Total Score : 65

Aside from the price, the only other thing I will say that keeps this from being higher up in the score is the lack of marketability. What I mean by that is that you aren’t going to sell this as easily to someone who enjoys a Jack and coke as you would someone who enjoys your aged dark liquors. This stuff is not for everyone, but I would say that If you know somebody who has a bottle to at least try it and decide for yourself if it is worth the price.

Cheers.

UV 103 Vodka

I Like Vodka, especially the strong ones.

Review :

I remember the first time I tried the regular UV Vodka. That was a fairly good quality vodka, and I made sure to thank my liquor store clerks for recommending it. So, naturally, when I saw that they had an even stronger product hitting the shelves, I had to take a test drive. Let me say, worth it. Obviously, with the added alcohol content, this product is a fairly spicy vodka if you will. I started out as usual by just pouring, then knocking back a shot, and believe me, the initial mouth feel will tighten up your vocal chords. It has that burn you would come to expect from a cheaper bottle of vodka all the way down. The thing that made this one different for me was what I was also drinking a coke, and the burn cooled a hell of a lot quicker than it did the last time I had the $5 gallon of Popov vodka. Major plus in my book, since that warm sensation makes it a little harder for me to do consecutive shots. As for mixing, I know I am weird in that I mix virtually ever liquor I drink with coca cola, but a shot of this in a glass of coke with some ice and you are set. I also find the classic combinations work as well, like orange juice, lemonade, and even strawberry soda. So you can probably find a mixer that works for you. If you can’t tell from the name, this stuff is 103 proof, meaning it is 51% alcohol. That would account for the burning sensation. I have been able to find the original UV Vodka, and its various flavors at most grocery stores, but this particular one I have only been able to find at liquor stores.

Breakdown :

The Bottle : The UV products have a pretty standard bottle. The cool thing about the different flavored ones is that they are colored to look how they are flavored. This one comes in the standard bottle, but with a black plastic film, with a gnarly font for the “103” part. It has a pretty cool design behind the lettering, but nothing too spectacular. It does stand out though. In the vodka section at my liquor store, my eyes were immediately drawn to this dark colored bottle amongst all of these others with their frosted look. You see it, and you know you are in for something different.

Score : 15

Taste : If you are going to do shots, and are not a fan of either vodka or particularly strong liquors, you probably aren’t going to like this. However, it does mix very well with other beverages, and they do mellow out the burn that you would get from drinking this stuff straight. I don’t really recommend it on the rocks because it is not much of a sipping vodka like a Belvedere, even though I liked it, but I’m a lush.

Score : 15

The Buzz : I will say this now, no matter what your tolerance to alcohol is, any time you have a stonger product, you are bound to get shitfaced drunk. I was able to finish the entire bottle, and had a pretty happy buzz. Probably one of my better buzzes I have had from vodka.

Score : 25

The Cost : Do not be fooled by the price of this product. I have seen it between $12 and $15. A fairly good bargain considering how drunk you will get, but nowhere near the really cheaper stuff that could strip paint just by popping the top. Granted, it is not the same quality vodka as the before mentioned Belvedere or Grey Goose, but still a good vodka.

Score : 20

Total Score : 75

While not the greatest vodka ever, it is sure to get you smashed, and for a good price. You may have noticed that I gave this product the ranking as the Crystal Skull, but with higher marks in different categories. This stuff has it’s advantages and disadvantages when compared to other products, but based on how drunk I got for the price I paid, it was totally worth it.

Cheers.

Bud Light Lime-A-Rita

I know I said that I wouldn’t be reviewing beer on here, luckily, this isn’t considered a beer product.

Review :

I have to admit, that when I had first heard that Bud was going to come out with this, I was a little skeptical. I have heard of people who would put beer in their margarita, my mother included, and it sounded interesting, but not something that made me jump out of my seat. The first time I tried this little concoction, It wasn’t on ice, it wasn’t blended, it wasn’t even in a cup, I just swigged it out of the can. In doing so, I had some very bad things to say. Immediately I tasted the lime, but I have never been a big fan of artificial lime flavoring, and that is what it tasted like. Then there was a bit of sweetness, but that got overshadowed by a strange flat beer taste. Didn’t like it at all, and I made sure to make my initial feelings known to my Facebook friends. However, I was told from about 3 or 4 people that I needed to drink it like it was an actual margarita, not a margarita flavored beer. So I tried it again, this time on the rocks. I must say that it helped the taste immensely. It wasn’t as syrupy and the harshness I experienced in the first trial was mellowed out once it was diluted a bit. I did a bit of research as to why I had the flat beer taste initially, and found that it is was probably because this product is not beer based, but a malt liquor based beverage similar to a Mike’s Hard Lemonade or a Mickey’s. I did enjoy the fact that it wasn’t overly carbonated, because if it were it would probably have just reminded me of a really weird tasting soda. The version of this product that I tried was the 8 oz can size, and I do say version because it does come in three sizes, and the alcohol content may vary depending on where you live because of local laws. Luckily, where I live, we are able to have the 8% variation. I have found it in at least 3 major grocery store chains, so I have to imagine it is fairly easy to get a hold of.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : Apparently, this stuff comes in a 8oz can, which looks like one of those Starbucks Double Espresso Shots you can get at the gas station, an 12 oz bottle, which I have yet to see, or a 24 oz can which is about the size of your average beer can. All in all, I will say it was cool of Budweiser to give some variety as far as how much you can purchase based on how much you plan on drinking. The smaller cans seem like they would be easier to carry around if you wanted to bring these to the beach or something. I wouldn’t know, I hate the beach.

Score : 15

Taste : Like I said, if you try to knock one of these back straight out of the can is not recommended. Just follow my friends advice and don’t treat it like a margarita flavored beer, treat it like a ready made margarita mix. It was way better tasting on ice, and I have to imagine that for the people who prefer blended margaritas that the lack of carbonation would make it easier to keep everything in your blender.

Score : 15

The Buzz : I didn’t get one. I will however attribute this to the fact that I did not actually go out and buy a 12 pack of these things, I just snagged two from my moms fridge. If I were to drink an entire 12 pack or even a 24 pack, I know from other malted beverages that I probably would have gotten a short, but mellow buzz.

Score : 0 (can’t Honestly Judge)

The Cost : I have seen this stuff go for about $12 for the 12 pack of 8 oz cans. Depending on where you go, you might be able to find it cheaper. Which would make the cost of this product about $1 per margarita, which is actually better than most bar’s happy hour price.

Score : 20

Total Score :50 (+/-)

If I had actually went out and bought a case and found whether or not it gave me a buzz would have definitely affected the score. If it was at all similar to the last time I got drunk off of Smirnoff Ice, then I would probably be able to give it a seal of approval as “Must Get” item. Nonetheless, It was fairly decent for the price that I have seen it go for, so there you go.

Cheers.

Smirnoff Tuscan Lemonade

Like I said in the last review, I am a big fan of Lemonade. Deal with it.

 

Review :

This particular product happened to be rolled out around the time I had turned 21, so when some douche at the grocery store was handing out samples, I was luckily able to try it. I have purchased it since then, just for the purposes of this review. Let me start out by saying that this stuff taste great. Unless you’re a genius like me and insist on the first sip out of a bottle being a room temperature shot. After I stuck the bottle in the freezer for a bit, then drank it in a glass on ice, you get some ridiculous lemonade flavor. Since this stuff is made with Limoncello, a citrus liqueur if you couldn’t tell from the name, that’s probably where they get the “Tuscan” part of the product name. Sad news though, it’s only 15% alcohol by volume. Sure it mellows out the alcohol burn you would probably get from a higher alcohol content, but it prevents getting a REALLY good buzz from finishing off a whole bottle, for me at least. The draw is supposed to be that you can pour yourself a glass and sit on your porch for hours watching the sun set and sipping your drink. In other words, its booze for chicks. Since it is distributed by one of the biggest vodka makers in the world, you should be able to find it anywhere you find Smirnoff. Luckily, I haven’t seen it taking up space at my liquor stores, but you can get it at BevMo and most grocery chains.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : I think Smirnoff has a pretty standard set of bottles. This one is no different than the one that their original vodka comes in, so it is nothing really special.

Score : 5

Taste : Like I said, this stuff does taste great if you are a lemonade fan. It has a really good balance of sweet and acidic flavors. Unlike your kamikaze mixed drink, you don’t get too much of an actual alcohol taste that comes through. It might be because of a lack of actual alcohol content. If I were to get this again, I for one would probably add a shot or two when I pour myself a glass.

Score : 20

The Buzz : Didn’t get one. I drank an entire bottle, and I know that I have a higher tolerance than most, but I got no buzz. I had to go out and get a bottle of Jack to finish the night.

Score : 0

The Cost : When this stuff was first released, it was around or in some places MORE expensive than their vodka was. Since then, the price has gone down. I checked the price at BevMo, and it looks like you can get the 1.75 Liter bottle for about $16, depending on whether or not you have a Club Bev membership.

Score : 20

Total Score : 45

I realize that 45 is probably a low score for a product that I say both tastes great, and is fairly affordable. That is why I grade on four criteria instead of just taste and price. If you are going to come out with some new product that you are going to try and market to an even wider demographic than your normal product, at the very least make it look cool, and try and make it both tasty and pack a punch. If I were able to actually get a buzz, and if the bottle would have been a bit cooler, this would have probably been rated between 70 and 80. However, since the only two things this stuff has going for it are it’s taste and it’s price, I wouldn’t recommend making this something to purchase very often if you’re a big drinker like myself.

Cheers.

Daily's Ready to Drink Cocktails

So I kind of went out of the box with this one. I know this isn’t specifically a liquor per say, but it is still an alcoholic beverage. I grabbed one of these because frankly, I like frozen lemonade, and knew that I was going to be starting my drinking early enough that I would not have a good buzz when the Simpsons started that night. So the idea of a frozen lemonade alcoholic drink sounded like it would be a great addition to my night. Anyways, here you go.

Review :

First and foremost, I should tell you that if you read the instructions on these things, they tell you to freeze them for 8 hours before serving. In other words, if you are going to actually have one of these daily, you may as well plan on starting the next day. As inconvenient as it is to wait 8 hours for this stuff, I find that depending on your freezer, you can probably keep it in for slightly less, meaning you can have a drink a little later than expected, but at least in the same day. I personally tried both the frozen lemonade flavor as well as the margarita. I don’t know what kind of alcohol is used in these things, like whether the margarita has actual tequila and the lemonade has vodka, or if these are basically flavored wines like Mad Dog 20/20. What I do know is that when you taste these things, there is an initial freezer burn taste, followed by a blast of citric acid, and sour alcohol taste. I didn’t enjoy either one, and have to think that the wine assumption was accurate. It would appear that all of the flavors are only 5% alcohol by volume, so to get any kind of buzz, I probably would have needed to drink a gallon of them. I didn’t bother with the Iced Tea or Peach flavors because neither one sounded good, nor the Strawberry Daiquiri flavor because I am straight. So far, I have seen these things at a myriad of liquor stores, as well as some grocery stores, so if you do actually feel like trying them they shouldn’t be too hard to find. Plus their website has a store locator to make it that much easier.


Breakdown :

The Bottle : These pre-made drinks actually come in a pouch as opposed to a bottle. Now, I would seriously consider awarding points, if this pouch was in any way awesome. Like if they came with a straw and a punch hole like an adult version of a Capri-sun, that would be cool and convenient. Or even if the designated part of the pouch would tear in a way to make pouring easier. That would have helped a lot. But no, we get something that would have been better suited housing peanuts. The one good thing I will say about the packaging is that there is absolutely no confusion as to which flavor you are getting.

Score : 5

Taste : If using words like “Freezer Burn”, “Sour Alcohol”, or “Mad Dog” didn’t give you an idea, this stuff doesn’t taste very good as it is designed to be drunk. On the website they do have ideas of ways you can mix these pouches with other stuff for a fancier drink, and I have found a few websites with drink recipes that involve these things. I imagine that if you mix either the margarita or the lemonade flavors with some Sprite, it might be ok, but that just kills the alcohol content even more.

Score 10

The Buzz : You wont get one without drinking about 20 of these things. Unless you are a ridiculous light-weight and get a buzz off of one beer.

Score : 0

The Cost : If you are just looking for something to help you unwind after a long day, this might be something for you. If you are looking to get hammered, you are better off investing in something else. I purchased the flavors I tried for about $1.25 each. A pretty reasonable price for the first example, but a cost that increases exponentially if you are the second example. So it all depends on how much you like these things and how drunk you are trying to get.

Score : 15

Total Score : 30

Without a doubt, the worst thing I have reviewed so far. The price was probably the only redeeming factor for these things. I can’t recommend any specific flavor for anything other than to be used to add to a big jug of jungle juice or something. I personally would stick to mixing my own frozen beverages.

Cheers?