Bravado Living

Highland Park Single Malt Whisky

Highland Park 21 Year Old Single Malt Whisky. 2009′s Best Whisky in the World (whisky for Scottish, Japanese, and Canadian- Whiskey for Irish and American). At least according to the World Whiskies Awards. Described with a fruitful nose, mouth-cooling palate, crystalline sugar taste, waxy mouthfeel, and underlying elements of mint, leather and vanilla- our mouth is watering just thinking about it. But don’t take our word for it- here are the experts:

An irresistible mix of dark grungey smoke and light sweet fruit. If you could barbecue a tin of Del Monte exotic fruits this is what it would taste like. Stunning
Dominic Roskrow

Cedar, forest floor. French toast accompanied by very tannic black tea. Reminds me of amber resin
Liza Weisstuch

The mouth bathes in a rich, chocolaty sweetness, then puckers up with the very drying tannic oak. A drop of water turns it into something delightful – juicy and nicely tingling with a long finish
Robin Laing

Big, fruity nose, dried fruits, dried herbs; waxy mouthfeel, sweet taste, crystalline sugar; mouth-cooling. A cracker!
Charles MacLean

Most whisky snobs would tell you to sip this from a brandy snifter at slightly above room temperature, but we’re big fans of refreshment. Pour it from your decanter, use a tumbler if you’d like, and I know it’s a crime, but throw in some ice and sip it slightly chilled. You’ll drink the next glass properly (right?).

It’s a little pricey at $256, but you can get it duty free for around $100. Just pull a favor from Your Travel Insider- he might give you one of his liquor exemptions next time he’s in the Caribbean.

And we wouldn’t mind a bottle thrown our way as well

BUY IT Highland Park 1984 Vintage Single Malt Whisky $256

La Fin Du Monde is another great beer made in the trappist style. Its a Belgian-style triple fermentation golden ale. It is produced in Quebec, Canada by the Unibroue brewery. It’s a multiple winner of several different medals of excellence, which barely gives credit to the immense satisfaction one can derive from consuming such divine nectar.

It’s name is French for “The end of the world” and is a play on the belief ancient explorers had that upon reaching North America they had, in fact, reached the end of the world. Reflecting on this, and more importanly, on the fact that this is ale has 9% ABV, I find the name fitting as hell. Twelve of these bad boys would end your world with a quickness and intensity worthy of the apocalypse.

One great point is that unlike more standard triple ales, La Fin Du Monde is less bitter and more spicy, with notes of coriander and orange peel, giving this beer a great taste with a strong personality. It goes great with food one would normally consume alongside red or white wines. I also like to pair it with some fine cheeses or a fruit-based dessert. Most specialty beer purveyors and beer gardens carry it and it isn’t relatively hard to find. I would totally make the effort and poke around for it.

It’s that time of the year again gentlemen. Where your office “brown bagger” becomes a connoisseur of fine dining, and your foodie becomes a food snob- we are talking of course about Miami Spice. A phenomenal idea where Miami’s top restaurants create an exclusive 3-course menu prepared for this coveted event.

Every meal includes a choice of appetizer, main course, and dessert. All for the unabashedly low price of $22 for lunch, and $35 for dinner. I’ve spent more money at Flannigan’s on the “Joe’s Meals Deal” than I would have at these world-class restaurants. 

These are restaurants that would normally charge $40 just for an entree, mind you. 

You could easily scratch off 4 restaurants from your restaurant list for little more than a Benjamin. A feat that would easily cost you double that, if not more, if attempted outside of the months of August or September. 

One look at the list of participating restaurants and it’s easy to see why this is such a great event.

Notables:

The Capital Grille

Devito’s

Hakkasan 

Loftin’s at the Versace Mansion

Meat Market

Azul

Morton’s Steakhouse

The Restaurant at the Setai

Are you convinced yet?

Take a look for yourself, we guarantee some of the names will shock you. Browse the menu’s, book a table, and enjoy your three-course meal for the price of a drink at Barton G. 

What recession?

I am a sucker for novelty. I love giant Martini glasses and vintage cigar boxes. I love collecting interesting and singular items, things that will immediately spark a conversation upon being seen. So when I heard that artist Kacper Hamilton had designed a series of wine glasses modeled after the seven deadly sins of judeo-christian biblical lore, I shat myself. The seven glasses are all supposed to visually suggest their namesake sin and this is accomplished to varying degrees of success. Either way, this is a bad ass set of glass. Some of the glasses look like they need two people to properly drink from, so this is a great way to lower inhibitions and establish intimacy simultaneously.

Wrath

Envy

Gluttony

Greed

Lust

Pride

Sloth

I love cheese, all types and all forms. There’s so much variety in cheese, so many different flavors and textures. One cheese I really enjoy is Manchego, whether I am setting up a plate to complement some wine or if I’m just melting something over bread, this cheese delivers. Manchego is made out of sheep’s milk and it does leave a sheep’s milk aftertaste. That may sound unappetizing to the cheese newbie, but if you are in the know then you know that it just means this cheese is kick-ass. Manchego is aged for three months or longer, and is semi-firm with a rich golden color and small holes. It ranges from mild to sharp, depending on how long it is aged. This wonderful cheese is aged in natural caves for a period ranging from 3 to 6 months, which imparts a zesty and exuberant flavor to the cheese. Manchego’s flavor is very distinctive, slightly salty but not too strong. It is creamy with a slight piquancy, and leaves the characteristic aftertaste of sheep’s milk; I want to say that is tastes like feta cheese but it is nowhere near as salty and the texture is chewier. It has a savory flavor in any incarnation, but I find that the older it is the sharper it is. Manchego is available in three different states of maturity: fresh (fresco), 3–6 months old (curado), or matured for one year (viejo).

This cheese is great and is pretty versatile in what you can do. You can eat on crackers as is, maybe with some red wine to chase it, preferably a Rioja wine. A traditional way to enjoy it in Spain is served on toasted bread that has been rubbed with garlic and tomato, then drizzled with olive oil. I’m partial to toasting it, but I really enjoy it fresh on a sandwich with some fresh ham as well. It’s a product that is protected in it’s origin, which is great because while it amps up the price, it really does ensure quality. You can pick up some Manchego almost anywhere now, most gourmet grocers carry it and you can find it in most supermarket delis.