The Spirit World

Wine for Newbies is described by its owner, Andre Costa, as a “very small blog” but, I should add, one that is perfectly formed and entertaining.
   
Interestingly, for those residing in North America, Andre has set up a little quiz where he is giving away three different gifts.
Why not head on over and give the competition a go? […]

So mixed drinks have made a comeback and you are thinking “what am I to do with all my brandy, vodka, absinthe, etc. that I have been enjoying neat (without ice, by it’s onesies)? Well, sure you could buck the trend and keep on with being a neat-freak, or you could experiment with ingredients that […]

Organic pioneers, Whole Earth are seeing the summer in with their range of organic sparkling drinks in six different varieties. In celebration of this they have created a series of non-alcoholic cocktails which are certianly worthy of trying.
Sparkling Sunrise Surprise      Serves 2
2 oranges
1 pink grapefruit
1 x 330ml can of Whole Earth Sparkling Organic Apple and […]

Summertime and the living is easy. Well, maybe not quite easy, but perhaps our hearts are a bit more carefree as the days grow longer and warmer.
Memorial Day Weekend generally heralds the start of the summer season and the return to backyard entertaining. For those in the city or without backyards, there is the tendency […]

Being that my throat has been acting a fool as of late, I have a wonderful topic to write about: drinking while under the weather. 
There are a number of whisk(e)y drinks that are meant to cure all that ailes you, such as the hot toddy, Irish coffee, and even the Blue Blazer.  Today, I am […]

Did you know?
It was a tradition in German medicine that, should a doctor be dying, beyond all hope of recovery, it was the duty of their attending medical colleagues to offer them a glass of champagne. The Russian playwright and author, Anton Chekhov, was a qualified doctor. Dying of tuberculosis in Germany in 1904, this […]

Someone recently told me that there is a new lollipop company out there making absinthe-flavored lollipops, so I figured I better investigate. Turns out, its true.
Lolliphile is a new candy company in San Francisco making unusual flavors of lollipops. So far, they’re making absinthe-flavored ones, as well as maple-bacon. They’re working on more flavors too, […]

These days, cocktail folks the world over are brushing the cobwebs off classic cocktails and returning them to circulation. Their digging into dusty drink books of yore have given us such delicious new-old hits as The Last Word, The Aviation, and The Clover Club, just to name three. Research in this area surely continues, to […]

Tales of the Cocktail is an annual gathering of spirit and cocktail experts in New Orleans, which is now in it’s sixth year. In addition to the regular sessions, seminars, panels, tastings, as well as general partying, last year they added a new element, the “Spirit Awards” to identify and recognize significant achiements and efforts in various […]

Australia’s icon wine Penfolds Grange, in magnums no less, will be up for auction. Three sets of Grange from the first bottled magnum, 1979, through to 1998 will be available, unreserved. 
Each collection includes all 20 wines, potentially valued at up to $25,000. While Penfolds Grange has been available on GraysOnline in previous sales, CEO, Cameron […]