Menage a Trois Red Wine

Hello everybody, today I am reviewing Menage a Trois California Red Wine. My journey to uncover different wines is going in full swing. In my last wine tasting,I realized that I like the flavor of  cabernet souvignon and today I will share what I learned about this California Red wine. 

Menage a Trois is brand of Trinhero Family Estates which is family owned and operated since 1948. Wow..that is quite a legacy. It has 50 plus spirits brand and presence in 50 countries. Enough of the history..let SJs tasting reveal how this mass produced wine does. Enjoy my tasting notes!

Vital Stats-

Menage a Trois California Red Wine

Price- $7.97

Vintage-2017

ABV- 13.5%

Region- California

Producer-Trinchero Family Estates

Awards Won- 2014 Ultimate Wine Challenge

Tasting info- 

Serving glass- Stemmed wine glass

Serving style- Chilled

Appearance- Dark Red

Aroma- Red grapes, jasmine

Flavor- Robust,grapes, strawberry, berry

Body- Full bodied

Finish- Medium, non-lingering

SJ's Rating- Middle Shelf

It is an enjoyable, neutral red wine. It has a bold and luscious taste which is great with food and complements well if paired well. 

Occasions- Any, dinner time

SJ's Pro Rating(Food Pairing)- Pair with red meat, I enjoyed it with goat curry

Normally I drink after eating but wine is an exception and I enjoyed my dinner thoroughly with this wine. Hope you enjoyed the review. Try it out for yourself and enjoy. Cheers! 

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Bacardi Gold Rum

Hello everyone,Today I am reviewing Bacardi Gold rum which I found is such a fun brand. Especially their signature cocktails like Cuba Libre & Cuatro Highball are so simple and look delicious. I will definitely make these and post in my upcoming blogs. For today I am sipping it neat to enjoy the true flavor, unmixed.

According to it's website,the rum is distilled from fermented molasses & filtered through charcoal. Then it is aged in toasted Oak barrels for between 1 and 2 years. The secret behind the mellow flavor is the magic of charcoals which is a blend known only to them. Well, let me find out if this story is true or not..hahah.. Enjoy my tasting notes.

Vital Stats
Bacardi Gold Rum
Price-$12.99 for 750ml bottle
Age- 1 to 2 years
ABV- 40%
Country of Origin- Puerto Rico
Bottled by- Bacardi Bottling Corporation, JacksonFille,FL
Awards won- 2018, Gold World Rum Awards

Tasting info-
Serving glass- Glencairn Whisky Glass
Serving style- Neat
Appearance- Light Amber

Aroma- Light floral notes, cinnamon,vanilla, oak,citrus
Flavor- Sweet & light, floral, oak notes from barrel
Body- Medium
Finish-  Smooth ,slightly lingering
SJ's Rating- Middle Shelf 
It is a decent rum for the price. I enjoyed it thoroughly & is a neutral rum suitable for almost any occasion
Occasions best enjoyed- All occasions
Cocktails- Mohito, Rum & coke
SJ's pro tip- Use this gold rum instead of white rum for your cocktails. It gives a robust flavor.

I enjoyed tasting this rum, try it out as well to find out. Cheers! Enjoy Responsibly.

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Spey River Bourbon Cask Finish Single Malt

Today I am reviewing Spey River Bourbon Cask Finish. The product label reads "It has been matured in traditional american white oak casks until it has achieved the perfect balance of flavors. Only then,the whisky is transferred into the first fill American bourbon Casks to allow the secondary maturation which adds to the complex character & refined depth of flavor". 

Cool product story, let SJ revel the what it really tastes like :-). Enjoy my tasting notes!

Vital Stats- Spey River

Price- $29.99 for 750ml($1.99 for 50ml sampler bottle)

Age- N/A

ABV- 40%

Region- Speyside 

Company- The Spey River Company, Bellshill,Scotland

Awards Won-  None

Tasting info-

Serving glass- Glencairn whisky glass

Serving style- Neat

Appearance- Light Amber

Aroma- Fruity, citrus, pepper. Nothing special in aroma

Flavor- Faint taste of oak, some pepper

Body- Medium

Finish- Short, non-lingering

SJ's Rating- Middle Shelf 

The flavor is not too bad, I actually enjoyed it. The bourbon cask finish gives it a touch of complexity & sweetness. 

Occasions Best Enjoyed- Casual drinking, value for money 

Cocktails- None, have neat or on the rocks

SJ's Pro Tip- Very neutral whiskey so beginners can try it. 

I enjoyed it very well. Check it our for yourself to find out. Cheers & Enjoy Responsibly!

Not in the mood to read? Listen to my SingleMatlLives Podcast instead

Making Mohito at home

Hey guys, Staying at home doesn't have to feel like being stuck. Today I am making Mohito & sharing the recipe with you. It is a fun activity to do and also is a cool drink for summer. As always I did a slight modification to the actual recipe, I call it SJ's twist-Swapped gold rum instead of white rum. Also used honey as I could not find simple syrup. Follow along and you will have a rewarding fresh drink by the end of this. Enjoy!

The ingredients 

Topo chico club soda, lemon, Bacardi Gold Rum,Honey & peppermint leaves

Follow these steps to make Mohito

Step 1 Take 12 spearmint leaves, juice of half a lime in a highball glass

Step 2 Add 2 tablespoons of honey

Step 3 Muddle gently for ten seconds, bruise leaves gently

Step 4 Fill glass with crushed ice

Step 5 Add 1.5oz of Bacardi Gold Rum

Step 6 Add 7 oz of club soda

Step 7 Give a good stir to mix all ingredients

Step 8 Garnish with lime wheel & small mint wig. Enjoy!

It was so much fun making it, I loved each moment of it -sourcing ingredients, preparing & enjoying. My wife loved it as well & there is demand for more 😄. With Dallas weather heading towards the 90s I will be enjoying plenty more of these. 

A special thanks to my friend Felipe who generously provided the mint leaves. 

Try it at home, Cheers ! & Enjoy Responsibly.

Want to listen to my review? Tune into my SingleMaltLives Podcast.