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The Gardener Cocktail from Matsuhisa Vail: It’s incredible
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the last time I got on an airplane. For the last decade, there have only been 3 months (total!) where I haven’t been on an airplane. That’s a lot of travel. So to now be 12 months in without flying off on some exotic adventure – or even mundane…
Continue Reading The Gardener Cocktail from Matsuhisa Vail: It’s incredible
Home Bar
Blind Test Reveals Best Ginger Beer for a Moscow Mule
Now that Fall is upon us I want to tell you a bit about my go to drink for….last Summer. Ok, so the timing may be a bit…
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Best Cocktail Smoker: Smoke Boards is My New Favorite Drink Smoker
If you’ve spent any time perusing some of the recipes here at Slightly Pretentious, you’ve probably figured out that I like smoky things. Islay Scotch. Mezcal. You name…
Continue Reading Best Cocktail Smoker: Smoke Boards is My New Favorite Drink Smoker
Over 25 of the Best Cocktail Gifts for the Holiday Season
Yep, it’s already that time of year again! The holidays are almost upon us which means shopping season is about to shift into high gear and as usual,…
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Cocktail Recipes
The Gardener Cocktail from Matsuhisa Vail: It’s incredible
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the last time I got on an airplane. For the last decade, there have only been 3 months (total!) where I haven’t…
Continue Reading The Gardener Cocktail from Matsuhisa Vail: It’s incredible
Vieux Carré Cocktail: Another New Orleans Classic
As we entered our 9th month of interminable COVID-based lockdown, I was starting to feel a little cabin fever. I had promised Sean a review of the famous…
Continue Reading Vieux Carré Cocktail: Another New Orleans Classic
Lucky Peach: A Strong Rum Cocktail
It’s no secret that I think of Creme de Peche as a bit of a secret weapon ingredient. It’s one of those ingredients you can add to all…
Morgenthaler’s Sherry Eggnog: The World’s Best Eggnog Recipe. Period.
Ok, I realize I’m about two months too late to be posting this, but when you find this in December of 2021, you’re welcome. Jeffrey Morgenthaler is about…
Continue Reading Morgenthaler’s Sherry Eggnog: The World’s Best Eggnog Recipe. Period.
French 75 Recipe: The Perfect Holiday Cocktail
So, you’re looking for something fancy. You want a classy cocktail. Perhaps for a special occasion, a holiday like New Years Eve, or simply a way to doll up…
Continue Reading French 75 Recipe: The Perfect Holiday Cocktail
Great Cocktails: 20+ Ridiculously Good Drinks to Make at Home
The entire reason this website exists is to shine a light on the great cocktails of the world. This could be classic cocktails that have stood the test…
Continue Reading Great Cocktails: 20+ Ridiculously Good Drinks to Make at Home
Bar Reviews
Islay Scotch: The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Islay, Scotland
For the last five years, I’ve been a huge fan of Islay scotch. Like, the “I’m not an alcoholic, but if you look at my whiskey shelf at home you’d…
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NoMad Cocktail Book Review: For the Adventurous Home Bartender
For years the NoMad has been one of my favorite destinations. Yes, the entire hotel, a destination, not just a place to rest your head. I’ve been to…
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Tales and Spirits Review: Why It’s the Best Bar in Amsterdam
It had been over ten years since I’d visited Amsterdam – and let’s just say my two trips couldn’t have been more different. My first Amsterdam experience was…
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Deadshot PDX: The Most Unique Cocktails in Portland
Despite traveling all over the world to taste and write about cocktails, up until now I haven’t written much about the cocktail scene in my hometown: Portland, Oregon.…
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Cafe Dante NYC: Is it REALLY the World’s Best Bar?
Cafe Dante in NYC has been around for 104 years. It’s been on my radar for about 4. But after over a century of serving drinks to locals…
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69 Colbrooke Row Review: A Classic that Lost Its Luster
On our last trip to London I was excited to visit The Bar With No Name, which is located at 69 Colbrooke Row. As one of the longer…
Continue Reading 69 Colbrooke Row Review: A Classic that Lost Its Luster
Most Recent Posts
The Gardener Cocktail from Matsuhisa Vail: It’s incredible
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the last time I got on an airplane. For the last decade, there have only been 3 months (total!) where I haven’t been on an airplane. That’s a lot of travel. So to now be 12 months in without flying off on some exotic adventure – or even mundane…
Continue Reading The Gardener Cocktail from Matsuhisa Vail: It’s incredible
Vieux Carré Cocktail: Another New Orleans Classic
As we entered our 9th month of interminable COVID-based lockdown, I was starting to feel a little cabin fever. I had promised Sean a review of the famous local cocktail, the Vieux Carre, and I thought brilliantly to myself, “what better way to make this foray into the glamorous world of New Orleans mixology than…
Continue Reading Vieux Carré Cocktail: Another New Orleans Classic
Lucky Peach: A Strong Rum Cocktail
It’s no secret that I think of Creme de Peche as a bit of a secret weapon ingredient. It’s one of those ingredients you can add to all kinds of drinks that, well, just makes it better. You can make a Peach Old Fashioned. Or a wonderful punch. Or you could add it to a…
Morgenthaler’s Sherry Eggnog: The World’s Best Eggnog Recipe. Period.
Ok, I realize I’m about two months too late to be posting this, but when you find this in December of 2021, you’re welcome. Jeffrey Morgenthaler is about as close as it gets to a legend in the drinks industry. So much so, he became the topic of a running joke amidst our Top 100…
Continue Reading Morgenthaler’s Sherry Eggnog: The World’s Best Eggnog Recipe. Period.
French 75 Recipe: The Perfect Holiday Cocktail
So, you’re looking for something fancy. You want a classy cocktail. Perhaps for a special occasion, a holiday like New Years Eve, or simply a way to doll up your champagne or sparking wine? Regardless of which of those describes you, I’ve got the answer: the French 75 cocktail. The History of the French 75 Last…
Continue Reading French 75 Recipe: The Perfect Holiday Cocktail
Great Cocktails: 20+ Ridiculously Good Drinks to Make at Home
The entire reason this website exists is to shine a light on the great cocktails of the world. This could be classic cocktails that have stood the test of time. Modern drinks made my some of the best bartenders in the world. Or simply libations I’ve come up with on my own that I feel…
Continue Reading Great Cocktails: 20+ Ridiculously Good Drinks to Make at Home
How to Make a Dirty Martini: For the Olive Lovers
The martini may quite simply be the most personal cocktail you can make. I mean, take another classic cocktail like the negroni. Sure there are some slight variations, but generally speaking most negronis are going to taste the same and have pretty close to the same ingredients and ratios. The martini however, is all over the map.…
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Shangri-La Villingili Maldives: May it Rest in Peace
Here at Slightly Pretentious, we’ve largely just glossed over the whole Coronavirus pandemic thing. Most of us are spending a lot more time at home making cocktails, so I’ve chosen to focus on highlighting those for the time being – while hoping that in 2021 travel will be acceptable again, and I’ll be able to…
Continue Reading Shangri-La Villingili Maldives: May it Rest in Peace
Blackjack Redux: A Delicious Coffee Cocktail
So there’s some history to this cocktail. First off, for the last couple years I’ve become a sucker anytime I see a cocktail on a menu with coffee and banana. This usually means they’re using the phenomenal Banane du Brasil, and either cold brew, a concentrate or some other kind of coffee liqueur. If coffee…
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Sazerac Cocktail Recipe: New Orleans in a Glass
New Orleans is famous for many things: Mardi Gras, Gumbo, and Jazz (to name a few). But it’s less known for being the home of another great American invention: The Cocktail. From the Ramos Gin Fizz to the Grasshopper, The Big Easy has contributed more than its fair share of inebriating concoctions to the world.…
Continue Reading Sazerac Cocktail Recipe: New Orleans in a Glass