Maker's Mark

This is one of the oldest bourbons and one of the best selling, for good reason. It's perfectly aged in oak barrels for 6 to 7 years. This bourbon is a very unique one from its square bottle to the unique way it's sealed...wax. If you can not tell I really like this bourbon, here's the review.

This is bourbon in every sense of the word with its slightly oaky nose rounded off by sugar and a hint of vanilla. The vanilla shows up in the spirit its self with the right balance of rye and sugar (not that there is any added sugar). It is fantastically balanced; no one flavor note rings out over the rest. The balance of the bourbon makes the 90 proof not as noticeable as other whiskeys. A splash of water will open up this bourbon to really expose it. For the price, it is one of the best bourbons you can buy.

A+/$22 per 750 ml/www.makersmark.com

Land Shark Lager

Excuse the gap in postings but I was attending urgent business so I'm going to drop five reviews today.

To the best of my efforts, I tried to find some background on this beer to share. All I found were sites about partying and music which is to be expected of anything connected with Jimmy Buffett or his Margaritaville franchise. By no means is this beer a celebrity trying to break in the beverage market because they believe they are famous and should have one.

Land Shark is a similar style to the more famous Corona, but land shark does something Corona does not do...a bolder flavor with a good balance. The head is average and very representative of the beer to come. The balance of the overall brew is good with a very slight bitterness on the finish. Although the feel of the beer is light it keeps its weight through to end and doesn't finish with a watery feel like lighter beers. Much like Corona, a little lime and salt adds a different dimension to this beer. All in all, this beer would be good to sit on the beach and waste away...possibly in Margaritaville.

B/$7.49 per six-pack/www.landsharklager.com

Woodchuck Amber Draft Cider

While at my local watering hole, I spot this strange tap board shaped like an apple. To say the least, I was intrigued. According to the website, Woodchuck gets it's named from the nickname given to the "Vermontiest of Vermonters". A Marmota Monax Monax (a groundhog a.k.a. a woodchuck) graces the label while holding an apple...cute, if you into that.

The nose of this cider has a big apple nose with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon rounding it off. It has an average white head which is a little bittersweet. The taste is sweet, almost too sweet to be considered a beer. A big, crisp apple flavor comes through on the first sip and stays to the bottom of the glass with a little bitterness on the finish. All in all, Woodchuck has produced a very well balanced cider. I can not wait to try more bottlings from this company. This is a good "beer" for non or beginning beer-drinkers. Also, a good beer for people with celiac...I know you guys love the drink too.

B/$7.49 Per six-pack/www.woodchuck.com

The Official First Post

Hello all and welcome to The Gusto of Drink. I created this blog as a journey for me and anyone who wanted to come along for the ride into the world of drink. My friends say that I'm a "connoisseur" and should share my "expertise" with other people. Refining, shocking, surprising, awakening, enlivening, and exploring the palette is what The Gusto of Drink is about. I want to give people more than an "expert's" point of view, my mission is to educate and expand the love of the drink. We will focus our attention more to drinks of the alcoholic type, but all types of drinks are welcome for review.

This blog is a critical review of drinks and as such is protected speech. I will give a review of each drink and give a rating between A+ to D-. Price and other information will be given if it is available. We will be accepting submissions for review soon. All submissions will be reviewed in a timely, fair manner.

Thank you for your reading this blog and come back regularly. The first review will be coming within the week.