Cobra Commander….a Beer Review

Ok, the name of the beer isn’t Cobra Commander….it’s just plain Cobra, but I couldn’t resist.

Anyway, while on this last trip to London, I had a chance to have some Indian food near our hotel at Euston Station.  I was totally indifferent to which Indian restaurant we went to (it’s all the same right?), however Debi found out from the Hotel Bar (bars…is there anything they cannot do?) that there was a local place that was really good.

After a brisk walk and passing 5-6 other Indian restaurants, we soon found ourselves at the Shah Tandoori Restaurant .

The food there was great, and a huge thanks to Simon for guiding Debi and I through the menu (to bad they didn’t have any “Flall”).

I know, this site is about Smokes and Booze, and not to disappoint…I will review the beer they had in bottle there: Cobra Premium Lager.  Think about that for a minute……if you are male, doesn’t that sound cool to say?  Give me a Cobra please.  I almost wanted to put on some sunglasses, throw a match in my mouth and think about Brigitte Neilson. 

Uuugh, I digress….back to the story, Cobra Premium Lager comes in an large (660ml) embossed bottle (props to presentation) and is a blend of barley malt and yeast with hops and the unique addition of maize and rice thrown in.  An alcohol rating of  with 5% abv doesn’t hurt as well.

How did it taste?  I thought it paired excellently with the spicy Indian cuisine.  The beer had a distinctive and extra smooth taste. It was a balance of fullness and bitterness that offset well the various (and overwhelming) spicy foods .

I found the beer to be an outstanding lager, full and somewhat hoppy, with strong fruit hints (I got figs with mine) on both the nose and the finish.

I know, next time I go for Indian….I have high expectations from the bar, Cobra set them.

Now I just have to keep from yelling………Yoooooooooooo Joe!

Here is a commercial from Cobra to close us out.  What makes this commercial even funnier is the “Spy” Simon and I ran into at the hotel bar after this.  If you are in London, a stop at Shah (on Drummond Street) is highly recommended.  Order a Cobra for me :)

Bottoms Up.

I really really really need one of these…….

A Monkey on my back (a whiskey review)

While in London, we stopped by The Whiskey Shop,  near St. Paul’s Cathedral.  The shop is tucked back in an alley, and one that I’ve wanted to visit for some time.  The shop is great and I would I highly recommend stopping by while there.

Anyway, while there, I picked out several bottles to bring back and the first to be reviewed is Monkey Shoulder.

I will admit, my eye was initially caught by the marketing….with a name like Monkey Shoulder jumping right out at me.  A further saying on the bottle, “Don’t be a drunken monkey, drink responsibly” further convinced me that this bottle would be MINE.

I was glad none of the bottles broke in transit, especially this one…..the coveted first review.

Monkey Shoulder is a small batch blended Scotch from three Speyside whiskeys (I would love to know which ones), that is then matured in bourbon casks prepared and maintained by their own coopers (a dyeing art).

The actual maturation and cask selection appears to be a pretty guarded secret (aren’t they all these days) and only two people are involved in the selection of the 27 casks used for each blended batch.

Their website is actually really nice, although a little “Flash-tastic” for my tastes.  This caused some load delays, but returning to the site 10 minutes later improved performance.

At the site, you can; get a little background, learn about events and see some of their recipes for mixed drinks.  Not being one to use scotch as a mixer (aside from the Islay Margarita), I initially gave this only a quick glance…..but after tasting, I might give a Monkey Manhattan a try at a future date.

So, I am sure you are wondering…….how was the drink.

I tried it two different ways, neat and splashed with water.

NOSE – Both with and without water, the nose carried a scent of caramel with orange overtones.  I was reminded of those chocolate oranges you get every year at Christmas (with only a hint of dark chocolate).  When splashed with water, the nose became a little more subdued….smoother (if a scent can become “smooth”).

Color– The color reminded me of the Clover Honey my parents raised when I was a child, and the whiskey didn’t have any “legs” on the glass like some of the “heavier” whiskeys (such as Balvenie) and was instead very smooth in the glass.

TASTE – I was caught somewhat off guard by the initial sweetness of the drink (Honey),  and overall it was very smooth and creamy.  There were
notes of smoke and oakyness, but nowhere as pronounced as some of the peat-bombs I normally drink.  

FINISH – The finish was very smooth, almost melting down the back of my throat , with a hint of sea salt and lingering fruityness (orange again). 

Splashed water brings out the caramel in the tasting, smoothes some of the rough spots (bringing it into the range of some non-scotch drinker palettes) and (IMO) brings out the fruityness.  I actually got a hint of coconut this way.

Overall I was really impressed with this blend and would highly recommend it to to anyone (even non-scotch drinkers….I’m looking at you Charlie). 

If I were to rate it, I would give it a B+

As an added bonus, it appears they have sponsored one of my favorite bands, the Red Hot Chili Pipers, and have a video of them on their website.  That is always a plus.

I have included a YouTube of the band to maybe get you in the mood for a scotch tonight.

Until next time….Cheers

8 Manly Drinks that every guy must try

Thanks to Crash for sending over THIS LINK to the “8 Manly Drinks that every guy must try”.

Now, I won’t copy the article verbatim, but shall instead do what the article didn’t do, crosslink each on on the list so you too can learn about them yourselves.

8 Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon

7 Legacy’s Euphoria Ale (Caution….Dead Link)

6 Sauza Hornitos Tequila – Neat website, one of the few where you input a date and it didn’t take July 4th 1776 as a valid birthday.  I was also caught off guard by the sliding peephole. 

5 Spiced Rum with Apple Cider – Link is to a video on how to make…after watching, I have no idea how this made the “Manly List”

4 Manhattan – Link to the recipe

3 Knappogue Castle

2 Grimbergen – The only beer on the list.  The site is in Belgian and French…no English.  Does this mean we can’t get it in the US?

1 Laphroaig Scotch – Of course the NUMBER 1 Manly Drink is my favorite Scotch. 

The Highland Margarita

I was going to append this to my How to Celebrate Margarita Day, but then thought...hell no! Anything called a Highland Margarita deserves it's own thread.

Cheers

Highland Margarita recipe

1 1/2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur
1/2 oz Laphroiag Scotch whisky
sweet and sour mix

Pour the tequila, Grand Marnier, Drambuie and sour mix (to taste) into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Pour into a salt-rimmed margarita glass, garnish with a slice of lime, and serve.

How to celebrate Margarita Day

Happy Margarita Day!

Who knew? I didn't. I figured Margarita Day would have been around the 4th of May.

Here are some ways to help celebrate....although I will probably stick to the classic.



CLICK HERE

Part of the London Trip

I really do enjoy London.  To walk the historic streets and imagining what it was like 100, 200 or even 300 years prior.

This time, my enjoyment was compounded by this being Debi’s first trip abroad.  So I got to be “Tour Guide”.

As part of our tour, I wanted to take her to St. Paul’s Cathedral.  What woman could resist seeing the place where Lady Di was married?  Although I did have ulterior motives.

You see, the area around St. Paul’s has some of my favorite pubs in London…and it makes for a great Masonic Walk as well.

Getting off the Tube at St Paul’s Station, instead of heading straight for the Cathedral, instead head down Patemoster Row, where you will find a most excellent store…The Whiskey Shop.

At The Whiskey Shop, you will find almost anything your heart desires…..and I brought home some samples that I will be reviewing later (Penderyn, Big Peat and Monkey Shoulder).  The shop is smaller than I expected, but then again…this is London, and I imagine real-estate is quite expensive. That being said, the staff seemed friendly and answered the few questions I had….so next time I swing through, it will call for another stop.  :)

From Pratemoster, you continue 50 or so meters to where the walkway T’s and you will turn left on Cathedral Steps….getting your first glimpse of St. Paul’s. 

As you approach, you are actually walking into the area which was formally known as St. Paul’s Churchyard…and the location of the Goose and Gridiron Pub, meeting place of the first Grand Lodge in 1717.  There is a Blue Plate to commemorate the spot just north of the large steps at the front of St. Paul’s.

Before I continue the tour, an interesting factiod about St. Paul’s.  The lightning rod for the cathedral was surveyed, designed and installed by none other than Benjamin Franklin….brother Freemason to Christopher Wren, the designer.

As you look West down Ludgate Hill into Fleet Street, you see some great architecture and landmarks-

Temple Bar

The Old Bailey

Old Bell Tavern (pub frequented by the masons who built St. Paul’s)

just to name a few.

Our next stop though is by far, one of my favorites…..Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

The Cheshire Cheese dates back to the 16th century and the board on display outside lists fifteen monarchs whose reigns it has survived. The interior is dark and wooden, and I have never made it past the small taproom on the right as soon as you come in.  Not due to lack of want, but instead because of how captivating the room is.  The small ground floor bar room is decorated with black timber, including the paneled ceiling. An open fire gives the room a special atmosphere. The portrait above the fireplace is that of a waiter who began to work at the Cheshire Cheese in 1829.  Regulars at this bar include; Voltaire, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Alfred Tennyson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  The pub is even mentioned in a Tale of Two Cities. 

I will also add….the beer of choice here is Samual Smith’s, of which I prefer the stout, who’s combination of burnt coffee and nuttyness rivals Guinness (yes I said it).

Heading back out to Fleet Street and again turning west, you head about three blocks and find an archway on the south side of the street, a shortcut to Temple Church.   I will add, Debi spotted this (I was going to go down to the Thames and come in from another direction), although I think it was due to her being tired of walking :P

Temple Church is the famous Round Church of the Knights Templar, made famous by Dan Brown in the Da Vinci Code.  Sadly, it is closed on Mondays….so I will have to take Debi back again sometime (it really is impressive).

With just this quick walk, you can see how quickly you can be immersed in history….and that is the way London is.  A fabulous city where small courtyards, archways and alleys lead to the unexpected.  I know Debi is excited (and wants to move there), and I can only eagerly await my next trip.