What's Tony Drinking? RTD Cocktails, Tequila & Scotch

Cutwater Threw Me a Party

The party took place in my own home. Why? No idea, but it was great. When good fortune smiles on you, it’s best to not ask too many questions. But I couldn’t help but wonder why the heck Cutwater Spirits, makers of NYISC award-winning canned cocktails, had reached out, offering to throw a party in my home for me and 15 of my pals, no questions asked. I hardly drink RTD cocktails at all — I prefer making my own or having someone else make them in front of me at a bar, what can I tell you. But there are times it’s best to simply go with the flow, and this was one of those times.

For reasons still not completely clear to me or my wife or the attendees, Cutwater supplied the booze (about a zillion cans each of four of their cocktails, natch); the decorations; the flowers (!); the food (tacos from Rosa Mexicano, no less!); the party games (Jenga FTW!); the playlist (given my record store-owning past, not really necessary, but they did include some bangers); cocktail garnishes; and, I kid you not, a bartender to pour the cocktails from the cans and garnish them (no actual mixology performed, but he was very nice, so we didn’t care). I’ve got to tell you it was one of the best parties I’ve ever hosted — and I’ve hosted my fair share of parties. And I’m relieved to report that the canned cocktails were actually very tasty. I think the White Russian was the consensus hit of the evening, but all four (the others were the Whiskey Lemonade, Espresso Martini, and Lime Margarita) were downed enthusiastically by all of us, even (especially?) the booze industry pros in attendance. If you want tips for optimal party festiveness, Cutwater seems to know what it’s doing, whether or not they show up at your door with cans and a bartender.

Grab 'em & Go: The Dalmore's Fancy 3 Pack

Plenty of serious fans of sherry cask-aged whisky consider the Dalmore’s single malts to be the best, the cream of the crop, the be-all and end-all, superior even to the more-famous-but-generally-acknowledged-to-be-slipping Macallan. Part of it is the long relationship the Dalmore has had with Gonzalez-Byass, the most heralded sherry house in Jerez. Not content with releasing a ridiculously rare and fancy whisky this time around, they’ve gone and released three at once, single cask bottlings no less. The trio, comprising the inaugural edition of the Cask Curation Series, is housed together in a fancy bespoke leather case made in Florence, in case you want to, I don’t know, bring them to your friend’s mansion or your weekend chalet or something. Along with a few other lucky so-and-sos, I got to taste them, along with the corresponding sherries in whose casks they were aged, at the Ned Nomad over a multi-course dinner hosted by whisky superstar Craig Bridger, head of advocacy at the Dalmore’s parent company, Whyte & Mackay.

The 26, 28 and 43 year old whiskies are all non-chill filtered, bottled at cask strength, and freaking delicious. My favorite was the 43 year old, aged in rare 30 year old Apostoles sherry casks (Oloroso is the most common sherry used for aging and finishing spirits). Not surprisingly, the Apostoles was also my favorite sherry of the trio — big and bold, with fig and walnut notes, this one made me realize that a) I need to start drinking more sherry, and b) the sherries should be packaged with the whiskies so people can really understand how one influences the other. Am I right or am I right? After dinner we repaired to the balcony, where cigars were waiting for us. I’m not a big smoker, so I shared one with fellow cigar agnostic and gal-about-town Kimberly Fisher, and we both posed for pics like we knew what we were doing. I went home smelling like an ashtray, but it was totally worth it.

Pancakes & Tequila with Carlos Camarena

I’ve probably learned more about tequila in the time I’ve spent with Carlos Camarena, master distiller at La Alteña, which produces El Tesoro, Tapatio, and Tequila Ocho, than I have in the rest of my life combined. I’m no expert when it comes to agave spirits, but thanks in large part to him I’m at least conversant. One of the most important things Sr. Camarena has taught me is that tequila drizzled on pancakes is absolutely delicious — in fact, tequila-drizzled pancakes is one of his favorite breakfasts. So when I was invited to have breakfast with him, his sister, Jenny Camarena (La Altenña’s master of operations), and a few other lucky folks at the Clocktower in NYC, I knew exactly what I was going to order. We were ostensibly there to try the new El Tesoro Mundial Collection tequila finished in Knob Creek rye whiskey barrels (both brands are owned by Beam Suntory). The rye imparts a beautiful herbaceous aroma and, surprisingly, a sweetness and gentle spice to the palate rather than the big peppery notes I expected. Stupendous, as was the Laphroaig-finished expression we also tasted (the latter was released a couple of years ago and is one of the greatest tequilas I’ve ever tasted). Tragically, there was no standard El Tesoro on hand, and I didn’t want to waste too much limited edition Mundial on my pancakes. So I settled for a skimpy drizzle of the Knob Creek finish… and that’s when the rye spice really came to the fore. Weird and quite appealing. As was the whole morning. Appealing, that is, not weird. Saludos y muchas gracias.

Rainy Afternoons, Steaks & Chivas

It was supposed to be a quick meetup with Rhys Wilson, Chivas Regal’s global brand ambassador. He was in the Big Apple to treat the local whisky crowd to Chivas’ new XV expression — so named because it’s aged for 15 years (finished in ex-cognac casks) — and we’d scheduled a tasting at the bar at Hawksmoor NYC. It’s one of my favorite steakhouses, but there was no meat on the agenda, just a quick half-hour sipping session. Hawksmoor is walking distance from my apartment, which worked out well this rainy, nasty Friday, because the subway was delayed and traffic aboveground was at a virtual standstill. But we both managed to make it to the venue without drowning. It was, admittedly, the perfect weather for a warming dram of XV. And then… Rhys had a weather-related cancellation, and I had time to kill, and neither of us felt like venturing back outside. So a taste became several tastes, which became cocktails (Paper Plane variations!), which turned into lunch, which ended with still more tastes. And I’ll tell you, a Hawksmoor steak sandwich pairs very nicely with the honey/fruit/ginger spice/oak flavor profile of the XV, which sells for a mere $50 a bottle. A veritable steal! A half-hour magically became two hours, and I finally stumbled out with a full belly, a woozy head, and a smile on my face. And wouldn’t you know it, the rain had stopped, too.

News, Cocktails, RTD, Spirits, TequilaTony SachsMarch 13, 2024RTDComment