Latest Post
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
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…
Continue Reading Blind Test Reveals Best Ginger Beer for a Moscow Mule
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,…
Continue Reading Over 25 of the Best Cocktail Gifts for the Holiday Season
Cocktail Recipes
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…
Continue Reading Blackjack Redux: A Delicious Coffee Cocktail
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…
Continue Reading Sazerac Cocktail Recipe: New Orleans in a Glass
Tiki Old Fashioned: The Cocktail You Didn’t Know You Needed
One of the things I’ve tried to do a bit on this site is to give you a lot of complimentary recipes. All too often I’ll get a…
Continue Reading Tiki Old Fashioned: The Cocktail You Didn’t Know You Needed
Americano Cocktail: A Low Proof Italian Refresher
Before there was the negroni, before there was the boulevardier, there was the original Italian Campari cocktail: the Americano. The Americano has been around since the 1860s, and…
Continue Reading Americano Cocktail: A Low Proof Italian Refresher
Pineapple Daiquiri: The Ultimate Way to Use Plantation Pineapple Rum
Earlier this week I wrote about one of my favorite liquors (if not my absolute favorite) in the world: plantation pineapple rum. In that post, I wrote about…
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Stiggins Negroni: Another Amazing Use for Plantation Pineapple Rum
I have what I refer to as my “secret weapon” ingredients. These are spirits or liqueurs that you can put in just about anything and they’ll taste amazing.…
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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…
Continue Reading Islay Scotch: The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Islay, Scotland
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…
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Most Recent Posts
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…
Continue Reading Blackjack Redux: A Delicious Coffee Cocktail
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
Tiki Old Fashioned: The Cocktail You Didn’t Know You Needed
One of the things I’ve tried to do a bit on this site is to give you a lot of complimentary recipes. All too often I’ll get a new cocktail book, and it feels like not only does every drink use a completely different set of ingredients, but often times they’re obscure ingredients at that. One of…
Continue Reading Tiki Old Fashioned: The Cocktail You Didn’t Know You Needed
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 off now that we’re moving more toward hot toddies than pina coladas, but I’ve spent the past couple of months working on variations of a classic summer…
Continue Reading Blind Test Reveals Best Ginger Beer for a Moscow Mule
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 it, if it’s smoky, I’m all about it (funny considering I don’t smoke). So a few years ago when it became en vogue to actually smoke your…
Continue Reading Best Cocktail Smoker: Smoke Boards is My New Favorite Drink Smoker
World’s 50 Best Bars 2020: What they got Right (and Wrong)
This week marks one of my favorite and most feared events of the year: the announcing of the World’s 50 Best Bars. Why would you fear something like that? Well, when you’re on a quest to visit the top 100 bars in the world, with every new list you’ll find out just how many of…
Continue Reading World’s 50 Best Bars 2020: What they got Right (and Wrong)
Americano Cocktail: A Low Proof Italian Refresher
Before there was the negroni, before there was the boulevardier, there was the original Italian Campari cocktail: the Americano. The Americano has been around since the 1860s, and to this day you’ll find people sipping them in European cafes on sunny afternoons alongside the Aperol Spritz. Ah, the days of travel. How I miss thee.…
Continue Reading Americano Cocktail: A Low Proof Italian Refresher
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 think I was” kind of fan. And ever since I first fell in love with a Laphroaig 10 year old, I knew one day I would have…
Continue Reading Islay Scotch: The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Islay, Scotland
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, you’ll probably struggle to figure out what to buy your friends and family. Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Today we’re sharing with you our recommendations for…
Continue Reading Over 25 of the Best Cocktail Gifts for the Holiday Season