In recent years the Caipirinha has developed into its own family of drinks, just like the fizzes, daisies, sours and all of those other cocktails that are similar to one another. Unlike most of those, however, the various Caipirinhas remain true to the base spirit - cachaça - but differ in the fruits that are used. The result of all of these experiments with flavor is an entirely different drink every time and this week's feature sipper is a prime example. It is The Lemon, Lime and Blue Caipirinha.

The Lemon, Lime and Blue Caipirinha
Photo Courtesy of: © Leblon Cachaca

For this cocktail the lime and cachaca remain, with lemon added to the muddled mix for an extra touch of citrus. The flavor doesn't stop there, though, because the "blue" in the drinks name means that we have to add blueberries, which just kind of hang out within the crushed ice and add some delicious darkness to the drink.

The Lemon, Lime and Blue Caipirinha cocktail recipe...

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I love this time of year because it means, without fail, that a myriad of Scotch come in for me to taste. This year started out with a blending seminar with Johnnie Walker for their Black Label and has since been infused with some fascinating boutique Scotches. Two (okay, it's more like four) have made my new favorites list, one being a seasonal release turned non-seasonal and the other three special editions that you have to fly to find - and I will be looking for them on my next adventure.

Orangerie Scotch Infusion
Photo Courtesy of: © Compass Box

The first Scotch that I speak of is not technically a Scotch because it uses an infusion to distinguish itself from other whiskies in the category. That would be the Orangerie from Compass Box. You may vaguely recall this one from a few years ago as a bottle that could only be found during the holiday season, but the great news is that it is back in all its respectable spectacle and it's here to stay (okay, at least that's the word for now). Like all of the other specialty blends that Compass Box produces, this one is not the average Scotch that can be described by words like "peaty," "smoky," or "sweet" - instead this is an infusion of orange, clove and cassia bark with those flavors being prominent as opposed to "notes" that are faintly detectable. Christmas in a glass, Orangerie is that simple.

The other Scotch that has fancied my palate lately is from The Macallan 1824 Collection and I had the chance to sample three of the four bottlings. For me the winner of the collection has to be the Estate Reserve if you are looking for a Scotch to sip because it has in intensity I really enjoy in this style of whisky. Yet, if mixing Scotch is more your style of the moment, I would go with the Select Oak because it is reasonably priced and has a nice balance of sweet, spice and oak. The other offering, the Whisky Maker's Edition, is somewhere between the two, but has its own unique characteristics. The downfall to this announcement is that the 1824 Collection is only available in "Global Travel Retail" markets, meaning that you can't hop down to the local liquor store in hopes of scoring a bottle, but have to go to one at a major airport in hopes of coming across a bottle.

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The combination of whiskey and brandy is one that you will find in many of the great cocktails of all time. This week's timeless tipple is one of those and I love it's name: Morning Glory.

In this classic cocktail those two ingredients are taken to the higher level with rye whiskey and cognac. They are brought together into this delightful drink with a myriad of flavors including orange and anise and adding some syrup and bitters with a splash of soda finishes it off to perfection. However, with all of that going on you need to make sure it retains a balance so pull out that jigger and start measuring. You won't regret the little extra effort.

Morning Glory Cocktail recipe...

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It is common knowledge that women should not drink as much as men because our bodies are smaller than men's and it takes less alcohol to get drunk. But, according to this article in last week's Kansas City Star there are more risks when it comes to drinking that women should at least be aware of.

In the article Anne Brockhoff cites a 20-year study performed by the University of North Dakota School of Medicine that states that alcohol causes more damage to a woman's body than previously thought. Women have less of a certain enzyme and water than men and these cause women to not only get drunk faster, but allows the alcohol to have an effect on many of our organs and can increase our chances for liver or cardiovascular disease and "some forms of cancer."

The point of Brockhoff's article and the UND study is that women should be especially vigilant when it comes to how much alcohol we consume. We should each know our limitations and take into account the medical history of ourselves and our families in order to be smart about how much and how often we drink. To help you get started with this, the article includes some sound advice from Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (author of Preggatinis) about how we can cut down on the amount alcohol we drink. Read the full Kansas City Star article...

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