Spec’sology Blog

Pairing a cigar with a tumbler of whiskey can be a delightful experience…as long as you pair the right cigar with the right bourbon. There are a few key things to keep in mind when pairing tobacco and alcohol, but the main thing is to enjoy yourself! The keys to a good pairing You want your cigar and alcohol flavors to be opposing flavors that balance each other and enhance each profile. You don’t want to pair similar flavors/notes together, as it can wash out the flavor profile and become a one-note experience. Each puff of a cigar & each

When it comes to whiskey, the most expensive isn’t necessarily the best. The price can be directly related to the distilleries marketing expenses, the amount they created, or any other business-related factor besides the quality of the whiskey. The best whiskey can vary depending on what you’re using it for. Some are excellent in cocktails while others are best sipped on a special occasion. We’ve put together some simple ways to help you figure out what you’re looking for as well as some recommendations to get sipping on. Get to know your tastes You don’t have to dive into the

When looking for a good Spanish wine it can be difficult to narrow down your choices, and with good reason. Spain is considered one of the top-producing wine regions in the world, with more than 50 prolific areas exporting delicious bottlings every vintage. Spain is a captivating country for wine with its millennia of winemaking, its exceptionally diverse geography and its economic and cultural history all making it a great source of quaffable discovery. With so many wonderful options to choose from, we thought we’d help you narrow it down by highlighting some of our highly affordable favorites! Campo Viejo

You can walk into almost any bar and order whatever cocktail you’d like, and they’ll easily be able to make it for you. But this wasn’t always the case. We didn’t have access to the variety of spirits and flavors we have today, which made for some creative cocktail making back in the day. Join us on a journey through time as we take you through 7 decades of cocktail decadence highlighting the most popular drink of choice for each time period. 1950’s Martini The ease of gin manufacturing led to the popularity of the drink during prohibition, but it

Nothing screams spring like colorful flowers and fresh blooms! And we can’t think of a more suiting way to praise the petals than by adding them to a cocktail! Botanical cocktails are as delicious as they are beautiful, and we think they’re the perfect way to welcome in the changing of the seasons! Check out some of our favorite floral and herbal cocktails and be sure to hit up your local florists or garden for the pretty plant parts! Herb Gardner Ingredients 1 ½ oz Patrón Silver ¾ oz. Fresh lime juice ¾ oz. Simple syrup 2 dash Aromatic bitters

When it comes to classic whiskey cocktails we typically find them made with American bourbon or whiskey, and that is absolutely fine! But, if you were to swap that spirit with an Irish whiskey you might be in for a treat! Bourbon tends to be sweeter and denser than Irish whiskey, which is less smoky, but very smooth and a bit fruity. Typically, bourbon boasts strong flavors of oak, caramel, marshmallow, and vanilla. Whiskey, however, has a taste that is warm, spicy, sweet, caramelly, or toasty in flavor. Of course, whiskey isn’t the only spirit made in Ireland! We included

No one likes missing out on something good, especially when good means delicious! So, to make sure you aren’t raising a glass to FOMO, we talked to the experts and put together a few wines and spirits that may not be on your list but totally should be! Spirits Trail’s End 10 Year Bourbon Trail’s End 10 is the Second whiskey collaboration between Hood River Distillers, the oldest distillery in Oregon, and the expert team at Clear Creek Distillery, the second-oldest distillery in Oregon. They take a 10-year Kentucky Bourbon and then further age it in local toasted Garryana oak

Texans are in for a treat with these new products hitting shelves just in time for spring! From spirits to seltzers and everything in between, Spec’s keeps you in the know when exciting new beverages become available in Texas. Bud Light Next Bud light dropped a new zero carbs, super crisp light beer called Bud Light Next. Bud Light Next is made with malt, rice and hops, so getting it down to zero carbs was extremely challenging. In fact, Bud Light says they’ve been working on this for ten years and it was only up until recently, that some new

Texas Independence Day weekend is the perfect time to raise your Texas spirits with a trip to a Texas brewery, distillery, or winery! We’ve put together a list of some of our favorites from across the state. These offer not only outstanding products but an excellent atmosphere for learning and fun! Please celebrate responsibly and don’t drink and drive by planning ahead. Breweries Jester King - Austin, Texas Jester King offers an outdoor dining & drinking experience which includes almost 2 miles of hiking trails, live music, and more across their beautiful 165-acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country! It’s

What is it about Kahlúa that makes it so popular? Made with 100% Arabica coffee beans and rum, Kahlúa coffee liqueur is one of the main ingredients in many of the world's favorite cocktails. Brunch, lunch, evening drinks, or whenever—Kahlúa helps turn the average into the extraordinary and any coffee into a delicious coffee cocktail. Below you’ll find 5 delicious and super easy Kahlúa cocktails you’ll be able to whip up in no time! Kahlúa & Coffee Serves 2 Ingredients 1 and ¼ cups filter coffee 2 shots Kahlúa Sugar to taste Whipped cream Dark chocolate, grated Directions Add one

When we think of Mardi Gras we think of New Orleans. Mardi Gras began in medieval Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries and eventually made its way to the French House of the Bourbons. From there, the traditional revelry of "Boeuf Gras," or fatted calf followed France to her colonies one of which was New Orleans. The first American Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699, when French explorers Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Sieur de Bienville landed near present-day New Orleans, Louisiana. Texans aren’t known for passing up a good time, so eventually Mardi Gras traditions jumped

Australia is quickly becoming one of the world powers of wine. The wine industry in Australia is perhaps the most technologically advanced, and forward-thinking on earth. Australia has no native vines. Winemaking grapevines first came to the country in 1788, from South Africa. Fast forward 234 years and Australia is now famous for its fresh, fruity red and white table wines that are extremely consistent in quality. Australia now ranks sixth in the world in wine production — making slightly more than half as much wine as the United States — and fourth in exports. The two most popular grapes