Jimmy and Christina from MrAndMrsRomance.com have been our regular guest writers for over two years now, bringing weekly stories to you on all things Aussie craft spirits. Here are their top 10 write-ups from 2022.
Christina and I love having our regular column with Nip of Courage. From product reviews, cocktail how-tos and food recipes to bits of history, technical points on distilling and features on the distillers themselves, all of these stories bring us joy in the telling.
We are always learning new things about the incredible industry of Australian craft spirits, and we hope that shows in the stories we share with you.
But here are 10 of our favourites from the past 12 months.
Whether it’s a margarita, a Paloma or just straight up on ice, Mexico’s national drink is as versatile as it is iconic. But what’s the problem with the name ‘Australian tequila’? And does it exist?
We check out a couple of tequila-style agave spirits coming from the stills of Mount Uncle Distillery in Far North Queensland: Dirt Road White and Dirt Road Dark.
From bright lively fruitiness to fathomless oaky earthiness, the flavours of Australian craft whisky span the gamut.
But how do you know what you’re tasting? And how do you make the most of it?
Here’s our easy 5-step guide to tasting whisky.
Drinkers have been ‘blessing’ their hot drinks with spirits for as long as the two beverages have been available, but only in the last decade or so have we seen the meteoric rise of the espresso martini.
But here’s how to turn your generic coffee-based cocktail in the a true blue Aussie ripper!
And while we’re at it, why not check out this shoppable list of Aussie craft coffee spirits that are perfect to add into your cocktails but also for sipping over ice or even a cheeky pour over ice cream after dinner.
Sweet, spicy, savoury and smooth, the rye Manhattan is an awesome drink.
And using The Gospel’s Straight Rye Whiskey from Brunswick in Melbourne, the flavours of this classic cocktail give you an even bigger bite of the Big Apple.
Here’s how you make one at home.
From the coastal town of Geelong, an hour southwest of Melbourne, Anther Distillery’s powerful, enigmatic yet dynamic Goddess Strength Gin takes our Taste Test.
This incredible navy-strength gin—sitting 1% higher than it needs to at 58%ABV—is impressively smooth and carries so much flavour. Could this be our favourite OP gin?
There are a thousand ways to enjoy a cocktail, from an elaborate tropical rainforest in a tiki glass to a simple shot of spirits in a tumbler.
But why would you order neat, up or on the rocks and what does it mean for your drink?
You may not know your hogshead from your puncheon or your hoops from your staves, but understanding why barrels are so fundamental to whisky makes you a better whisky drinker.
Around 70% of what you’re tasting in your dram is from its relationship with the barrel it was matured in.
So to get to grips with just how important barrels are to whisky makers and to learn a bit more about the art of distilling, we speak to Josh Walker, owner-distiller at the beautiful Timboon Railway Shed Distillery in Victoria.
For all his style and swagger, James Bond and his order of a martini, shaken not stirred has been upsetting martini fans forever.
So here are the reasons why you shouldn’t shake your martini.
From the convict colonies and cane-cutters to the current craft spirit empire, rum has played a big part in Australia’s cups.
Here’s our pitch for rum being our national spirit and also a few superb rums to prove our point!
Humbly referred to as the perfect cocktail by many in hospitality, the negroni is a simple yet effective drink.
So running the risk of gilding this perfect lily, here are 7 ways to tweak your negroni and really amp up flavours and take things to a whole new level.
So that’s our top-10 wrap for 2022. We hope you’ve enjoyed our features over the year. We can’t wait to see what 2023 holds for us all!
PS. Keep an eye out for more events like this one that Christina MC’d in September in the coming year.
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