The Next Level of Homemade Drinks
At the end of June 2026, I visited my friend Manuel at his summer party, where he let me try his new gin. The Juniper Uno is made using only foraged Italian juniper. Obviously, I had to try the gin alongside another new eau de vie in a White Negroni variation.
There is a bit of hype around the champagnes from Herbert & Co. Luckily, I managed to get my hands on a bottle from Champagne Characters.
Aquavit is still a rather underrated ingredient. Of course, you should enjoy caraway, but if you do, you can use it to replace the base spirit in all sorts of classic cocktails. One example is the Oslo Mule, which is a twist on the Moscow Mule.
The Vallein Tercinier V.S.O.P cognac has recently been given a new design. Fortunately, Kirsch Whisky was kind enough to send me a bottle to sample. I opted for a Cognac Summit variation, which turned out to be the perfect choice for such hot days.
I discovered that I really do enjoy riesling wines from Maximin Gruenhaus a few years back. So, I went for a bottle of Abtsberg Kabinett. When it comes to the (sub-)region Ruwer itself, it gets a bit complicated.
I guess it comes with the job, that when you have a reputation for creating great spirits, people request certain things. In this case, bars and restaurants on Mallorca asked Casa Eva for an aperitif liqueur. So they obliged.
As you will know from my recent article on Irish whiskey tasting, I am a big fan of the country and its whiskey in particular. Fortunately, Kirsch Whisky provided me with their relatively new Element Fusion Series R/1.0.
Great wine does not have to be expensive. Nevertheless, a high-quality wine must come with a price tag. In this case, I organised a summer wine tasting event for a customer, showcasing wines that offered great value for money.
It has been a long time since I featured Farthofer Whisky on my blog. Yet, way back when I did enjoy them very much. Now I am happy to feature another bottle here. Additionally, I also managed to remix the winning cocktail of the ‘Whisky category’ from the “Made in GSA” cocktail competition.
During our recent Blanc de Blancs tasting, we tried the Montbourgeau Les Hauts de Montangis Chardonnay. Yet, I also had a bottle of classic Jura wine style open. Not only is the Cuvée En Banode aged under Flor yeast, it also comes from a mixed lot.
