Put Your Gift Through a "Manslation"

Lately Johnnie Walker has been spending some serious cash updating their brand image. In addition to the launch of Soho's temporary Johnnie Walker VIP lounge they are becoming top of mind during the holiday gift-giving season with the Gift Translator. This facebook app tries to capture the tongue-in-cheek attitude of Old Spice's Bruce Campbell with a slight flair of The Most Interesting Man in the World. Visit the app and see what he has to say about your gift through his "manslation". There are a few customized answers for soap, ties and cologne, but when I suggested a hooker they suggest Johnnie Walker instead. Probably best. It's easier to wrap.

Stroh: Austrian For Rum

When I think of the spicy dark spirit, the picture in my mind isn't of mainland lederhosen wearing folk. But drinking history has shown us that Austria embraces drinking and turns it into an art form (or at least  some sort of remarkable drinking vessel).

But one thing Austrians know hands down is how to stay warm. They've embraced their spirited rum to be enjoyed all year 'round with the addition of ingredients like espresso and fire. I can think of no better way to enjoy a snow day (or a sick day).

Visit their facebook page for recipes and more.

Recipe: The Upside Down Christmas Tree Martini

Celebrity interior designer Kenny Davis (clients include Heidi Klum, Kathy Griffin, Ashton Kutcher and P. Diddy) created a cocktail made specially for the holiday season. His “Upside Down Christmas Tree Martini” is a festive and fresh addition to any holiday party (not to mention a nice break from the standard issue eggnog). True to its name, the “Upside Down Christmas Tree Martini” is “Christmas Tree” green and decorated with pomegranate seeds at the bottom of the glass for that extra sparkle.

        2 oz. Vodka (Grey Goose)

        1/4 oz. Lemon Juice

        2 slices Cucumber

        3 pieces Mint

        1/2 oz. Sugar Syrup

Mixing Instructions

Muddle mint and a cucumber slice in a cocktail shaker. Add other ingredients and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a slice of cucumber, Pomegranate seeds and a fresh mint sprig.

Big Wineries Create a Social Media First

As the age of wine drinkers decrease so does their attention span and brand loyalty when it comes to wine selection and purchase. Relationship building through social media engagement is becoming a standard practice for wineries as they compete for younger drinkers.

The Robert Mondavi Winery and Franciscan Estate, two of Napa Valley's leading wineries, teamed up with the location-based technology platform SCVNGR to bring wine enthusiasts rewards, games, contests and more to further engage with social imbibers. This is the first partnership of its kind will be interesting to see how these powerhouses set the stage for similar programs to come.

Blackberry users are SOL when it comes to SCVNGR. As of today the SCVNGR app is available for iPhone and Android only.

Hangover School

Whether you're looking for a cure or looking to share your own head-pounding experiences, the Hangover School is the place to nurse all that ails you. Forget Excedrin or a concoction of raw eggs, one of their hangover cures consists of grilled Mahi Mahi. Just the thought of fish after a bender makes me want to vomit, but they swear by it (providing it doesn't come from the "wrong place").

Hangovers aren't funny, but this site makes your day of misery a little easier to swallow.

App Review: AG Wine

The AG Wine app was recently listed among Mashable's list of the Top 10 iPhone Apps for Wine Enthusiasts. AG Wine created their app to stand out from other wine selection apps by offering a unique search method that takes you through countries, regions, styles, appellations and food selections. It's $3.99 price is on par with many other wine apps, but offers a more robust description of wine regions and grape varieties. What is lacking is a retail component. Once you find you're perfect bottle you're at a loss of where to get it in your area.

See the iPad demo version below.

*This app is available in both the iPad and iPhone version.

Pregame Rituals of Bartenders

Reposted from Liquor.com

Pregame Rituals 
Contributed by Alex Day

Few things in life are more important to a bartender than preparing for a night behind the stick.

When you look into a wall of faces demanding a damn drink now or into the desperate eyes of a cocktail waitress as she puts in a string of orders, only then will you know what it’s like in the trenches. But as any good bartender can tell you, the way to survive a shift is to be mentally and physically ready. (And it takes special preparation to deal with the inevitability of the unforeseen.) So before the lights go down and the show begins, what are the pregame rituals of some of the country’s top mixologists?

“I need a good two hours of peace, quiet and order to mentally prepare myself,” says Phil Ward, who runs New York’s famed Mayahuel. “Rushing to start a shift must be the stupidest thing in the world.”
The pre-opening hours are vital to a bartender, not just for meditative isolation, but also to ensure that everything is in place. The actual setup tasks—restocking the bar, cutting garnishes, lugging buckets of ice—are largely physical and repetitive. To temper the monotony, two things are necessary: lots of caffeine and loud music.

“If it’s a Monday, I need some West Coast jazz and a big San Pellegrino,” says blogger and Clyde Common bar manager Jeffrey Morgenthaler of Portland, Ore. “If it’s a Friday, I need AC/DC and a Stumptown cappuccino.”

Other mixologists get ready by rolling up their sleeves and carving ice. Al Sotack, head bartender at Philadephia’s The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company, starts each night by “venting my frustrations on a large piece of block ice.”

And once all the tasks are completed, some bars play a favorite energizing song and the staff enjoys a collective drink. “Once my mise en place is immaculately arranged and my bar is ready for action,” says Richard Boccato, co-owner of Dutch Kills in New York, “I like to listen to ‘Triumph’ by Wu-Tang Clan.” Right before the door opens, everyone has a fortifying shot of bourbon. And then the show begins…

Alex Day is a bartender and co-owner of Proprietors LLC, a design and beverage-programming company based in Los Angeles and New York.

Social Media Sobriety Test

You shouldn't drink and drive and you most certainly shouldn't drink and Facebook. These bad judgments are both known to make your life a living hell at some point. Webroot has created a legit software program that stops you before you take it too far. The program engages you with a few tests that police your impairment, then shut down social media applications if you fail. Watch the demo video below.

As far as drunk dialing, you're on your own.

Craft Brewer Also Plays One on TV

Starting Sunday, November 21, Dogfish Head brewmaster Sam Calagione will be featured in Discovery Channel's series "Brew Masters". The series follows Sam and his team's journey to exotic locations where they uncover ancient recipes and replicate the centuries' old tradition of craft beer making. See below for a teaser of the show.

On a personal note: I've met Sam and heard him speak and he's one of the most engaging and passionate people in the beverage industry. If you're close to Delaware tour his brewery for unique beers and even boutique spirits.

Drinking is An Art Form

There are many people that consider drinking an art form, but in this case art really is imitating life. I found BevShots on Twitter and only 140 characters doesn't begin to showcase the creativity this company brings.

BevShots examines beverages (cocktails, beer and wine) under a microscope to create unique pieces of modern art. And starting at $24.99 you can pick one up for less that a few drinks at most bars.

They even have a BevShots BarHop iPhone app that allows you to bring BevShots on the go.

They say art is a matter of taste -  so far so good.

Belgian Lambic

Mint Julep

Is Your Bar Cool Enough for You?

Whether you're checking out the scene or avoiding an awkward run on with an ex, the Hot Bar Spot broadcasts a live stream that lets you check out your local bars before darkening the door.

Unlike other apps with a similar capability Hot Bar Spot shows you events and special promotions. 

Available via web or iPhone app. 

State of Liquor Control

Which of the following is a control state in the United States in terms of their ability to sell liquor?

A. Alaska
B. Arkansas
C. South Dakota
D. Minnesota
E. Pennsylvania                                          

Wine Quiz Answer: E. Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania. It is the right and privilege of each state to decide how to control, sell and distribute "adult" beverages. Many states such as Pennsylvania decided to control the sale of wine, beer and spirits at the retail and wholesale level.The state through its authority sets pricing and selection policies. There are currently 19 control states in the United States.

Contributor: Kevin Zraly
Visit Kevin Zraly's Website

This one time at band camp...

Other than the occasional embarrassing trip to the  Shore, do you have the kind of legendary life that make you a truly original person?

Stoli Vodka wants to hear about your famed life and in exchange you could win $25,000 and bragging rights as liquor's version of the "Most Interesting Man in the World".

Enter through their Facebook page and best of luck being you.

App Review: DrinkTracker

Other than Lady Gaga who's had a little bit too much, much and has a tendency to lose her phone, phone and big city folks who can cab it home, DrinkTracker helps manage your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).

Just plug in profile details like height and weight then a target BAC for the evening. As you drink, select the beverage from the menu and it will tell you how long it take to reach that BAC goal. Now you have real proof to stay over at a hottie's house if you've been overserved.

Champagne Trivia

Who's Infamous breasts were used to mold the original champagne saucer?

Was it:
(A) Helen of Troy
(B) Marie-Antoinette
(C) Madame de Pompadour
(D) Charles Heidsieck J

The Answer: It's a trick question...sorry. The Champagne Coupe (or what we call Champagne Saucer here in the US) was thought to have been originally molded after the breast of Marie-Antoinette. That is a myth as it was invented a century before Marie Antoinette in England. It was invented as the ladies of court did not like the champagne bubbles tickling their noses. Therefore a glass was created that was short and flat to create more surface area to dissipate the bubbles much faster. However, Marie-Antoinette did have a champagne saucer molded after her own breast, but it wasn't the original.

Contributor: Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan
Master of Wine Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan is one of only a few hundred people in the world and one of only 26 people in the United States to have achieved the Master of Wine title from the Institute of Masters of Wine in London, England-the highest accolade and the most difficult title to achieve in the world of wine.

Jennifer's Site: http://www.everydaywineguide.com/

Vintage Booze

Before iPads ruled printed media, those crazy things called magazine kept us informed and inspired by the world around us.

Vintage Booze is a blog that features the heyday of "Mad Men"-esque liquor ads that promised a generation that anything was possible through alcohol. And maybe it is. Don Draper scored several chicks and a wife while slamming them back.

Cheers to the good ol' days!

Give the Gift of a $1 Drink

When virtual gifting came to pass I was a little annoyed by the whole pointlessness of it all. Send flowers, send a smile, send a box of candy filled with nothing but pixels! Aside from maybe the Michael Jackson glove, these little digital gestures were dead to me. Well, now I have to eat my words, or drink them more like, thanks to bartab.

After a long seminar day of social media talk, these guys from bartab woke the audience with talks gifting drinks. Real drinks!

Here's how it works:

1) Buy a five dollar credit through bartab's website (or iPhone app)
2) Buy $1 drinks for yourself or a facebook friend
3) Reedem (via text, email or iPhone app) and pay the bar $1

= $2 drinks

This new service is only available in San Fran, LA and NYC, but brewing rapidly around the country.  Check out their website to find out how this well-oiled drink distribution system works.

App Review: Snooth - Pro vs. Comp

In the wake of applauding geeks on the big screen in "The Social Network" I'd like to personally thank them for using technology to make it easier to find wine.

In the recent past image based searches have been used for people and places, but this Snooth is really putting it to good use. The new premium or "pro" iPhone app from Snooth ($4.99) incorporates image based search so you can take a picture of a bottle of wine and it point out what local retailers sell it. You can even read review and save it to your virtual cellar. The free version is nothing to sneeze at, but the magic label search feature is limited to the pay version.

Wining Worth Listening To

Most people have a love-hate relationship with talk radio, but when the topic revolves around wine what's to hate? The Tasting Room hosted by Terry David Mulligan showcases wine experts, artisans, chefs and even the occasional celebrity that entertain and educate oenophiles ready to soak up knowledge.

The typically hour-long program can be downloaded as an iTunes podcast or live in various radio markets. Check out The Tasting Room website for more details.

Turn Welch's into Wine

Behold this modern miracle of liter-sized proportions. In just 48 hours you can transform Welch's Concord Grape Juice from sippy cup to fermented satisfaction. All you need is packets of Spike Your Juice and a 64 oz. bottle of Welch's to get the party started.

A Digital Gathering for Whisky Connoisseurs

Whisky lovers unite. Rather than updates on kid's naps or family vacations, Whisky Connosr offers a social network that discusses whisky exclusively (Note: no "e" in whisky means serious business). If you have an opinion, review or just a desire to speak you can tweet it, facebook it, RSS it, YouTube it and more. If it's socially connected you can tune into the the masses or tell them what you think about a particularly fetching whisky. Getting involved is as simple as setting up a profile and, reading, posting and adding favorites to your "cabinet". 

Everyone is welcome, from novices to whisky connoisseurs.

Contest: Add Global Ambassador to Your Title

A Bartender's Dream Job is your chance to travel the world while promoting Belvedere Vodka, one cocktail at a time, and get paid $100k to do it! We're looking for a dynamic personality, enviable sense of humor and someone with a passion for Belvedere Vodka.

Sweet Home Donatella

I had the chance to sneak preview Donatella Arpaia's new place last Thursday and, even though it's a departure from my usual coverage of drinking and digital, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share my experience.

Donatella Arpaia's new restaurant, Donatella, proves that Southern comfort isn't just an American sentiment. Naples, the largest city in Southern Italy, serves as culinary inspiration for her new Chelsea pizzeria. Arpaia, who's family is from Naples, trained with master pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia (Naples' own Pizzeria La Noticia) to fulfill a decade-long dream.

Whether you're hanging with friends, getting cozy with a loved one or nursing a hangover, Donatella offers comfort in pizza form that's perfect for each occasion (yes, a even the hangover). What this pizzeria adds to the New York pizza scene is the infusion of passion, precision and warm welcomes. This warm welcome is multi-fold. One comes from the decor, one from the Southern Italian philosophy and the other emits from the true star of the show - the golden oven (pictured) encrusted with the name that made it all possible.

Certainly this Lady Gaga-eque oven embraces all the glitz ripe for the neighborhood, but there's more than meets the eye. Upon further inspection and conversation, I discovered this oven was built exclusively for Donatella by a Neapolitan family of oven makers and assembled with rock and sand from Mount Vesuvius. its five ton weight and rapid baking abilities proves that making pizzas like a girl is the hottest thing going.

But the hospitality doesn't end there. Around the corner (entrance on 19th Street) you'll find Dbar, Donatella's lascivious sister lounge complete with access to pizza and handcrafted cocktails. When I think of transitioning between these two establishments I'm reminded of the Day to Night Barbie circa 1985. Barbie started the day in her perky, yet professional skirt suit, but when night rolled around her pink heels emerged from her briefcase, the reversible skirt flipped around to chiffon and jacket was shed to make way for a sparkly evening of tales unknown. Barbie would be happy fulfilling her evenings and late nights between these two without ever having to fire up the 'Vette.

Dbar is open for business and Donatella officially opens its doors this Friday, September 24.

Something's fishy about this movie

Two things you never thought you'd see happen - 1) you as a movie star and 2) smoked salmon flavored vodka. Well, lucky you, because all your dreams are about to come true.

Alaska Distillery, home of the new smoked salmon flavored vodka (it's worth repeating), is conducting a video contest where you and your favorite lox liquor are the stars. The rest is up to you. The winner gets 500 big ones (that's dollars not fish). If you're looking for inspiration check out last year's winner of the 2009 Permafrost vodka contest. It truly defies explanation.

Check out their site for details and contest rules.

Note: You can't show overconsumption. But how's a girl going to get all her Omega-3s?

Watch How the Shake It

As bartending becomes more about presentation, mixologists now must concentrate of the fine art of the shaker face. The "shaker face" is, as you've probably guessed, is the face bartenders make when they're shaking a cocktail. And now there's a whole site dedicated to finding which mixologist makes the best (or worst) face. Visit their site to vote on the quarter final submissions of Chris Churilla of Loca Luna and Tom Speechley from 1806 Melbourne.

Shaker Faces is sponsored by Combier liqueur, but unlike many sponsored sites I have to give them props for coming up with a unique and fun execution that makes the bartenders the star.

Vote now and may the face be with you, or with them, or whatever. Forget the face, where's my negroni?

Where Wine Gathers

The Wine Hub is more than just a site for wine reviews, food pairings or retail locations. This wine network informs visitors of all things wine, including winery trips and tours, wine trivia and even undiscovered winery chefs. The Wine Hub is still in the early stages of its potential, but has a solid philosophy that will give it much buzz down the road.

Promotion: Gran Gala Shake Down

Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur challenges you to create its next signature cocktail! Enter your concoction for a chance to win the Grand Prize of $5,000 and be eligible for weekly prizes! Simply register and submit your luscious libation to get started. Once you’re done, explore the gallery and vote for other creative cocktails. So tell your friends, post it to your Facebook page, call your grandma, whatever it takes to gather votes and win! See the information below for complete judging criteria, prize information and contest rules.

Wineries on Twitter

Instead of following them all you can follow just one website to find all the social wineries in the world. Check out Wineries on Twitter to keep up with the latest in the wine biz.

Get a Degree in Drinking

While you feel like your undergrad money went to advanced drinking, jager shots and shot gunning beers don't count when it comes to the big leagues of official imbibing.

BarSmarts is an online bartender's training program (think a more interesting University of Phoenix) where you can learn the tools of the trade in your pjs.

BarSmarts offers two programs - BarSmarts Advanced ($85) and BarSmarts WIRED ($65). Each of the program's training tools were completed by lauded NY bartender Dale DeGroff. What each program boils down to is level of experience - BarSmarts Advanced is an invitation-only program that meets up in these cities for Fall 2010:

Las Vegas, October 19th
Chicago, November 2nd
Dallas, November 9th
Los Angeles, November 11th

BarSmarts WIRED is registration opens up on July 1, 2010, for a 2 month window. Registrants have 30 days to finish the program. So hurry, hurry.

Wine TweetUp: LA

Reposted from Napa Valley Vintners...

Napa Valley Vintners are headed to LA in September in celebration of California Wine Month! Looking for something fun to do on a Tuesday night? Kick off your week early by joining us at our *free* LA TweetUp at BottleRock in downtown LA from 6:00-8:00pm on Tuesday, September 21st to learn more about Napa Valley wines, meet the vintners behind them. Check out your tasting notes and follow those of your friends on our Twitterwall using the hashtag #NVV (Napa Valley Vintners).

In the spirit of a TweetUp, help us get the word out event by informing your 'Tweeps,' posting on Facebook, mySpace, LinkedIn, Buzz...you get the idea.

Sign up here

Dora the Imbiber

Salon Online's Kitchen Challenge blog brings a new dimension in motherhood drinking, compliments of Dora the Explorer. Writer, mom, imbiber and Dora fan, Mallory S. Langston, offers up a recipe that can be made from a family friendly kitchen, but is pleasingly adult. I don't watch Dora, but who's to say her explorations aren't just as affective if they're alcohol related.

Check out her recipe below:

• 1 standard shot glass of spiced rum
• ¼ cup apple juice
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Grenadine cocktail syrup
• ¼ cup canned pineapple chunks and ½ cup of the leftover pineapple juice
• ¼ small apple, cubed
• ½ small orange, cubed, plus one thin slice
• ½ banana, cut in thick chunks
• Ice

Directions

1. To begin, place the apple chunks, orange chunks, pineapple chunks and banana chunks into the coffee press. Next, pour the Grenadine syrup over the fruit followed by the shot of spiced rum and ½ cup pineapple juice from the can. Stir the contents of the coffee press and let stand for 10 minutes or longer. The longer you wait the fruitier the drink will be.
2. Press down the plunger into the carafe as far as it will go. The reason a coffee press works well for this recipe is that when it presses down on the fruit chunks the juice and small amounts of pulp are allowed to combine with the rum and create bountiful flavor.
3. At the bottom of your glass place a thin slice of orange and then cover with ice, as much as you prefer. Pour the juice contents out of the coffee press onto the ice. Add the ¼ cup apple juice and ½ cup orange juice, stir the contents of the glass, and you're finished! Lo Hicimos! We did it!

App Review: Vino for Dinner

The Vino for Dinner app gives users a selection of wines for under $30.This is a great app if you're on the go and scratching your head for what to bring to a party or your own table. You can easily navigate this app based on your dinner selection, show the wine merchant and be on your way with a solid and reasonably-priced choice. 

However, the $2.99 price may be a deterrent, but ultimately you'll eliminate a panic purchase on overpriced wines.

Check out the demo video.

New Yorkers: Drink for Free

New York is expensive enough without having a separate line item in your budget for drinking. Drink for Free is a daily email and/or text that alerts you to tastings, events and more for, you guessed it, free.

These events fill up quickly, so get there early and start making money on the deal.

Wine Legend Thierry Manoncourt Dies

by Stephen Brook
Decanter Magazine


Thierry Manoncourt, the owner of Château Figeac in St Emilion, has died aged 92.

Manoncourt died peacefully at home on Friday (27 August). He had run the family property for 63 years.

After serving in the French army during World War II, he studied agriculture and took control of the estate in 1947.

Although he delegated the running of Figeac to his son-in-law Comte Eric d'Aramon over 20 years ago, he and his wife Marie-France remained highly visible at Figeac itself and at dinners and other events during Vinexpo and the en primeur tastings.

To many, Manoncourt personified all that is best about Bordeaux: acting as a steward of the historic estate, opening its doors to interested visitors, and participating in the communal life of the region. At a dinner in St Emilion in 2007, the oldest wine poured was the 1950 Figeac. The wine prompted the guests to give the Manoncourts a spontaneous ovation.

It was a disappointment to him in recent years that he failed to win promotion of Figeac to Premier Grand Cru Classé (A), alongside Ausone and Cheval Blanc.

His petition was rejected not on grounds of quality but of price, and he felt acutely the irony that Figeac was penalized for its lack of greed.

Tim Hartley, one of the British chancellors of the Jurade de St Emilion, said, 'I know that everybody who loves Saint-Émilion is going to miss him. He was in many ways the embodiment of all that is best there: the warmth of welcome, and the combination of tradition and pride in history, with the modern world.'

App Review: iLoveBeer: Zythology

From Anheuser-Busch comes a new (and free) sister application to Beck's Gig Finder and Stella Artois Le Bar Guide called iLoveBeer. This app gives you on-the-go beer pairings and the option to share them on various social media platforms, plus a "My Beer" section that helps you find your favorite beer based on your preferences.

Drink up and pair up!


Download from iTunes

Americans Are Getting Their Drink on More Than Ever

Sixty-seven percent of U.S. adults drink alcohol, a slight increase over last year and the highest reading recorded since 1985 by one percentage point.

Beer remains the favorite beverage among drinkers, followed by wine and then liquor.

Read the entire Gallup poll here

Food, Wine and Spirits Coming to a City Near You

There's more to life than a glass of wine. More meaning the quest to get more of it.

Chances are there are events happening right under your well-educated nose. The creators of Localwineevents.com expected as much. And the more than 120k e-newsletter subscribers proved as much. Localwineevents.com is an Evite of sorts, focused on bringing wine, spirits and food awareness to locals across the country. When I searched for events near New York City I found 180 right off the bat.There are hundreds of other cities (big and small) and countries represented as well. This site is ideal for wine enthusiasts, wineries, wine sellers and travelers looking for local flavor.

Open your calendar and pencil in a good time.

Wining the Airwaves

SIRIUS XM Radio will launch Wine & Web with Gary Vaynerchuk, a live, two-hour weekly call-in show hosted by the wine expert, social media commentator and bestselling author.  On "Wine & Web with Gary Vaynerchuk," America's social media sommelier brings his passion to the radio, exploring everything from tech trends to taste buds and taking calls from across the country.

Read the rest of the article on PR Newswire

Absolut Diversion

Watch the movie

Absolut is known for their spotlight exposure more than most spirits. Regardless of subjective taste, you can't ignore their well-placed presence and marketing ingenuity. Hot on the tail of the Absolut Brooklyn launch, the vodka makers revamped their old standards by offering up Lemon Drop, an Absolut Citron recipe embodied through a superhero played by Ali Larter.  Dressed in a '70s yellow vinyl cat suit, Lemon Drop is portrayed as part sour, part sweet and all bad ass. If you've been wondering how lemon drop shots and '70s exploitation films work together, you're in luck.

A Touching Wine List

South Gate wine tablet

As more and more common folk flock to the iPad, restaurant and bar owners are wisely trying capture its uniqueness, sustainability and supreme functionality. New York City's South Gate restaurant converted their wine list into the browser-friendly format. Many restaurants have opted for paper-free wine lists (SD26 and Aureole), but each have turned out to be subjectively cumbersome and the diners often default to a real live sommelier.

iPad apps and overall user functionality will continue improving to educate and satisfy drinkers in the quickest way possible.

App Review: iWhiskey

It's time to use technology for good and sip seriously. iWhiskey, the robust whiskey app by expert F. Paul Pacult, gives you all the low down you need for this renewed brown spirit. The 600 reviews are categorized country - American, Canadian, Irish whiskeys and single malt scotches.

Features include ratings, ABV%, dynamic search, descriptive review of each whiskey, my favorites, 10 whiskey cocktail recipes and images, plus you can browse the least to most expensive.

The only drawback is the download price of $10.99. But chances are if you're into paying high dollar for a good whiskey then you're beyond the age of free wet t-shirt apps.

Download from iTunes

Watch a demo

Project: Box Wine

Kickstarter is a way to fund creative endeavors from blossoming business owners, musicians, thought leaders, etc. It's powered by a unique all-or-nothing funding method where projects must be fully-funded or no money changes hands.

The posting here is for a group of guys trying to finish a movie about "box wine and sloth". Who doesn't love a good box wine movie?

Check out Kickstarter to support your local starving (or thirsty) artist.

Plan Your Trip to Sonoma with Snooth

Snooth is a comprehensive website dedicated to sharing the best wine knowledge to wine lovers.

Recently Snooth has teamed up with Visa to let you plan your trip to Sonoma by using Google maps to guide your way through the region. Each winery is highlighted on an interactive map where you can pick and choose the winery based on location and then read their profile as well as the wines they produce.

The promotional spin is that if you're a Visa Signature card holder you will receive: 

• Two complimentary tastings per cardholder
• Savings on wine purchased same day in Tasting Room and non-wine purchases
• Savings on Reserve tastings and special wine-and-food pairings

Read more: http://www.snooth.com/wine-tours/sonoma/#ixzz0wybSK9kL

Twittering with the Wine Harlots

The Wine Harlots are two spunky wine drinking sisters who grew up in Washington State. They recount their wine adventures and cost-saving recommendations to their over 16,000 Twitter followers. Learn wine and much more from these sassy siblings.

Food & Wine - Monthly Drinking Club

Look to the wine experts at Food & Wine Magazine to give you their drinking opinion in this amped up wine-of-the-month club. Two different clubs are suited for your wine drinking personality - Adventures at $90 per month and the Collectors at $180 a month. Each club comes with 6 bottle shipments you can use to share your new found wine knowledge.

Taste thousands of hard-to-find wines, pair each wine with recipes straight from the pages of FOOD & WINE magazine, choose your deliveries every 1, 2 or 3 months, and cancel anytime.

App Review: Flip 'N Drink

Gary Regan (Joy of Mixology and Bartender's Best Friend) and Mardee Haidin Regan (Ardent Spritis) team up to bring you a iPhone app for serious mixers and shakers.

Flip 'N Drink is a $3.99 pay for play app that's worth the price of admission. Unlike other cocktail recipe applications this is unsponsored app is created by drinkers for drinkers. This grown up bartender's guide offers great photos, search engine, a corral for your favorite recipes and a suggestion box of "if you like this, drink this". They also offer a free or "lite" version.

Check out their video demo on YouTube.

*Available for iPhone only