Free Sushi Electric Blue Raspberry (Canada) - Review

With the news that Ready-To-Drink (RTD) beverages are now available at grocery stores across Ontario, tonight's RTD review is something I've had in my possession for some time now and never got around to opening. While it is long sold-out at the LCBO, this RTD may be coming to shelves at your local grocery store in the near future.

Free sushi was created by the founders with one goal in mind - to give back to the oceans. The founders love to snorkel and noticed the impact that pollution has had on ocean wildlife and dedicated free sushi to reduce its environmental impact. To help reduce its impact, free sushi is produced locally in Ontario, which reduces the environmental impact of shipping, while also promoting local jobs. Furthermore, a minimum of 5% of free sushi proceeds are donated to ocean charities, which help preserve clean oceans and their wildlife, and is a more direct way to give back to the oceans that they love to explore.

With free sushi, gone are the times of flavourless vodka water. According to the founders, each can of free sushi has the perfect balance of sweet and sour flavours that leave you wanting more. There are two flavours which are reminiscent of popular candy you enjoyed while growing up to give you a nostalgic feeling. Electric Blue Raspberry is the original, while Sour Watermelon is coming soon, and both are crafted with low carbonation for an elevated drinking experience. Let's see how this free sushi Electric Blue Raspberry ready-to-drink cocktail is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FREE SUSHI ELECTRIC BLUE RASPBERRY - Canada (#31307) - $2.95
Pretty, electric blue colour. Reminds me of blue freezies on the nose. On the refreshing, carbonated palate, this delicious Vodka-based cocktail has slightly sweet blueberry, raspberry, and citrus flavours, along with a weighty and very crisp mouthfeel. It's gently tart on the mid-palate, while the finish is quite savoury and stony, with good length.

While free sushi products aren't currently available at the LCBO, they may be available at grocery stores or through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

p.s. And no, free sushi does not contain any fish. :)

Read More

Southside Fizz by Aloette (Ontario) - Cocktail Review

Tonight's cocktail review is a delicious, brand new, ready-to-drink cocktail that just arrived at the LCBO. It is produced locally in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is widely available across the province now.

Southside Fizz by Aloette is a mojito-esque twist on the classic Southside cocktail where London Dry Gin (plus Vodka according to the ingredients) is mixed with lime juice, muddled mint, and a hint of fresh cucumber to create a cool and refreshing carbonated cocktail that is light and citrusy on the palate, and enjoyed chilled or over ice.

It was created by Aloette, a neighbourhood bistro located in downtown Toronto and imagined by Alo Food Group. At Aloette, they take pride in using only the finest ingredients to create the perfectly crafted cocktail. Let's see how this new Southside Fizz cocktail by Aloette is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SOUTHSIDE FIZZ BY ALOETTE - Ontario, Canada (#31248) (355 mL) - $2.95
It smells very fresh with hints of cucumber, lime, and mint, all of which is echoed on the very fresh and flavourful palate, joined by some savoury London Dry Gin notes on the finish. It's not very sweet, while the carbonated bubbles add to the overall freshness. Chill and enjoy! Perfect for sipping on hot summer days and a recommended buy!

Read More

Cabana Coast Dirty Shirley (Canada) - Cocktail Review

Tonight's cocktail review is a delicious, ready-to-drink, hard cocktail that was launched just a few weeks ago and is widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

It is produced by Cabana Coast Cocktails right here in Canada and they are one of a number of brands that are part of Ace Beverage Group. Cabana Coast Cocktails produces a few hard cocktails, including the Original Mule, and the Dirty Shirley is their newest creation!

The Cabana Coast Dirty Shirley is an adult take on a nostalgic, sweet, and classic beverage that many of us know from the good old days. The Cabana Coast Dirty Shirley is the Shirley Temple flavour you love that is infused with premium vodka to create a tasty, alcoholic twist on an all-time nostalgic drink. Let's get dirty and see how Dirty Shirley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CABANA COAST DIRTY SHIRLEY - Ontario, Canada (#31253) (473 mL) - $3.15
Small-batch crafted, it has delicious maraschino cherry, currant, and grenadine flavours with a touch of citrus in a fresh, carbonated style with bright bubbles. It's smooth and refreshing, while citrusy, cherry, and vodka notes linger on the crisp finish, with very good length. A delicious, recommended buy suitable for year-round sipping!

Read More

The Spritz Pack - Distelleria Amalfi Aperitivo Liqueur & Spritz

Last Spring, I enjoyed the locally made, ready-to-drink Amalfi Aperitivo Spritz that was launched by Distilleria Amalfi & Co. This year, the company located just north of Toronto launched a 750 mL bottle of their aperitivo liqueur named "Distilleria Amalfi & Co. Aperitivo Liqueur".

Both of these products were created by brothers Davide and Bruno Codispoti, who were born and raised in Vaughan, Ontario. Over the years, the brothers have introduced numerous beverage and food concepts in Canada, including the ever-popular (and one of my personal favourites) "Crazy Uncle" line of cocktails. After many trips to Italy, Davide and Bruno fell in love with the tradition of "Aperitivo Hour" and wanted to bring this tradition back to Canada with the aim of launching an authentic, locally crafted Aperitivo using real sparkling wine in their Spritz and natural flavours in the Aperitivo.

The Distilleria Amalfi & Co. Aperitivo Liqueur, or Amalfi Aperitivo for short, is an Aperitivo Liqueur made in small batches with natural flavours. As printed on the back label, some of the ingredients include Hibiscus flowers, Chamomile blossoms, Rosehips, Lemon peel, and Quinine. You can enjoy this delicious Aperitivo Liqueur chilled or on the rocks, as well as play mixologist. One of surely many recipes is recommended on the back - pour equal parts Amalfi Aperitivo Liqueur and Sparkling Wine over ice, then add a Blood Orange Slice and Mint Leaves to enhance the flavours.

The Aperitivo Liqueur, Spritz, and Toro Bravo sparkling wine are all widely available at the LCBO outlets across Ontario. Enjoy Aperitivo Hour this summer with delicious Aperitivo Liqueur that is currently $2 off for a limited time.

Tasting Notes:

DISTILLERIA AMALFI & CO. APERITIVO LIQUEUR - Ontario, Canada (#19417) - $28.95 $26.95 until July 18
A locally made premium bitter liqueur produced in small batches. On the rocks, this has an attractive, fresh, and fragrant nose of blood orange accented with floral and citrus aromas. There's some initial sweetness on the palate, but it gives way to bitter orange, floral, and citrus notes that carry the mid-weighted palate through to the very long, bitter, floral, and savoury finish. Delicious! Must try.

It's very refreshing (and delicious) when mixed with the Toro Bravo sparkling wine, with a more balanced and even-keeled aroma and flavour profile from start to finish.

AMALFI APERITIVO SPRITZ - Ontario, Canada (#14515) (4 x 355 mL) - $12.95
This ready-to-drink, refreshing cocktail has attractive aromas of sweet blood oranges joined by bitter notes on the spritzy palate. Chill and enjoy or, ideally, pour over ice in a stemmed wine glass and garnish with an orange.

TORO BRAVO SPARKLING SECCO WHITE - Spain (#16191) (D) - $11.95
Made using Spain's traditional cava grapes Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo, this Charmat method sparkling wine is enclosed by screw cap and has pear, citrus, ripe apple, and floral aromas rise out of the glass. The off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) palate is frothy and lightly textured with fresh, balanced acidity. It has pleasant aroma replays of pear, citrus, and apple, and floral on the flavour profile that lingers to the finish. Chill well and enjoy. Score: 85 pts

The Amalfi products are proudly represented by Churchill Cellars Ltd.

Read More

Amalfi Aperitivo Spritz (Ontario) - Cocktail Review

While enjoying the great weather we're having today, I opened this Amalfi Aperitivo Spritz that recently launched at the LCBO. It is locally made with premium ingredients here in Ontario and comes in packs of 4 for $12.95.

What is an Aperitivo (Spritz)? The word "Aperitivo" is derived from the Italian verb "aprire" (ah-pree-ray) and means "to open". In Italian culture, an aperitivo is a bitter-sweet herbal meant to whet your appetite. An aperitivo "spritz" adds sparkling wine or soda water to the bitter-sweet aperitivo to make it more refreshing and perfect for hot weather - like today!

In the Amalfi Aperitivo Spritz, they use 22% real sparkling wine, and not "wine flavours" like other ready-to-drink cocktails. Their bitter-sweet aperitivo is made in-house using an infusion of burnt orange and tangerine peels, along with a blend of herbs and roots including quinine. To bring the alcohol down to a highly-quaffable 5%, they use both sparkling wine and soda water, making it well-balanced, easy to drink, and refreshing.

It is best enjoyed during Aperitivo Hour - which is like Happy Hour, but in the style of "La Dolce Vita" - giving particular importance to the inclusion of food and socializing (while practising physical distancing during these novel times). Aperitivo Hour is an Italian tradition that occurs every day at sunset when restaurants and bars set out small snacks, called "cicchetti" (chee-ket-eeh), to accompany the palate-opening drinks. As they say in Italy - Cin cin!

Tasting Note:

AMALFI APERITIVO SPRITZ - Ontario, Canada (#14515) (4 x 355 mL) - $12.95
This ready-to-drink cocktail has pleasing bitter-sweet flavours with touches of orange, citrus, and herbal root notes, while the spritz adds a crisp, refreshing mouthfeel and finish. Ideally served over ice in a stemmed wine glass and garnished with an orange.

Read More

MadeWithLove - Canada's Largest Mixing Competition is Coming to Toronto

After a successful run in Montreal last December, the largest and most extravagant mixology competitive event, MadeWithLove™, continues its tour across Canada to the great city of Toronto. The finals will be held on March 30th at Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex located at 25 British Columbia Rd, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Tickets are available for $65 at www.enjoyMadeWithLove.com or at participating locations.

21 bartenders from across the city will compete during the finals to impress over 1000 cocktail enthusiasts with exclusive and innovative creations. Each cocktail will be judged based on its originality, creativity and taste. This year marks the start of a new trend at the competition, a food pairing; a promising new addition which will only serve to enhance the overall experience of the event.

Come and enjoy the cocktails created by the finalists who qualified at College Street Bar in early January (click here to watch the video):

• Aaron Male, Campagnolo
• Alex James, Hopgood’s Foodliner
• Andrés Márquez, Fonda Lola
• Andrew Hunter, The County General
• Brett Intrater, Independent
• Dan Tavares, Mr. Flamingo
• Ger Cullen, Her Majesty’s Pleasure
• Jake Valianes, Linwood Essentials
• Joe Howell, The Spoke Club
• Holly Dewan, The Whirppoorwill Restaurant & Tavern
• Japhet Bower, Parlor Foods & Co
• Mana Moghada, Blowfish Restaurant & Sake Bar
• Michael Crispo. Soho House
• Michael Fortier, Drake One Fifty
• Michele Maffei, Balsamico
• Nick Incretolli, Urban Tavern On George
• Parham Rahimi, Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie
• Rob Renda, BartenderOne
• Rory West, Pastizza
• Ryan Desjardins, College Street Bar
• Will Howden, Howden Bar Service

The People's Choice and Judge's Choice winners will represent the city at the National Finale which is slated to be held in Toronto on May 25th, 2015.

Click here to purchase your tickets. Your ticket will give to access to taste the 21 cocktails, the food pairing and afford you the right to vote for the People's Choice.

Read More