Winking Owl Pinot Grigio

Name: Pinot Grigio

Winery: Winking Owl

Price: $3.50

My Review: Well, you certainly get what you pay for. I feel like I make the same facial expression as the owl on the bottle of wine when I take a sip of this Pinot Grigio. Honestly, the taste itself is not THAT bad considering how cheap it is. There are some nice flavors of pear and apple in the wine. The only negative is the sour sensation that occurs with each mouthful. 

We attempted to pair this with a ham quiche, but this was not the right move. This wine was far too citrus-y and sour for egg, ham, and pepperjack cheese. Still, if you are looking for a cheap bottle of wine to gain an extra screw cap wine bottle for making limoncello, this will suit you perfectly.

Blanton's Original Single Barrel Bourbon

Name: Original Single Barrel Bourbon

Distillery: Blanton's

Price: $64.99

My Review: My dad bought Blanton's completely by accident for the first time. There was a special Virginia ABC drop and he didn't know what it was, but he bought the last bottle. Little did we know, this would launch our journey into the world of quality bourbon!

We love to joke that the bottle looks like the Holy Hand Grenade from Monty Python and the Holy Grail; however, this is definitely not something you want to share with the Killer Rabbit! It is hard to describe the difference between fantastic and decent bourbon, but this one definitely shines above all the others I have previously tried. It is very smooth with caramel-vanilla taste to it. I love it so much! The only downside is that I have never been able to buy myself a bottle because I cannot find it! This bourbon disappears quickly during Virginia ABC drops. I guess for now I will have to continue to mooch servings off of my dad!!

'O Lord, bless this thy hand grenade, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.'

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout

Name: Black Chocolate Stout

Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery

Price: $14.49 for 6 bottles

My Review: My Grandmother is from Brooklyn, NY, so this beer caught my eye. She has a shirt that says, "Brooklyn, only the strong survive", which has always stuck with me. I'm not surprised this tough stout is a product of there!

Personally, I love a dark beer! This is not for an inexperienced beer drinker. It has incredible notes of dark chocolate and coffee. Like many stouts, the alcohol percentage is higher than other beers. However, it is so tasty that it is easy to ignore it! So drinker beware!!

Grateful Dead - Sharkey's

Name: Grateful Dead

Ingredients: Vodak, Gin, Rum, Blue Curacao, Black Raspberry, Sours, and Sprite

My Review: This was the perfect way to recover from my final presentation in Senior Design! Beware of drinking it too quickly since it is very full of alcohol. Personally, I don't like cocktails that are overly sweet, but this is the perfect amount. I like to still be able to taste the liquor. I highly recommend you try this on your next trip to Blacksburg, VA!

Imperial Doughnut Break

Name: Imperial Doughnut Break

Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing

Price: $7.75

My Review: I bought this beer at the same time as the Christmas Eve in a New York City Hotel Room Royal Suite Edition beer. I love the creative names that Evil Twin Brewing gives to all of their beer! This was an awesome porter. Iwas dark, but had the sweetness you would expect from a doughnut. I'm a big fan!

Hardywood Fightin' Hokies Lager

Name: Fightin' Hokies Lager

Brewery: Hardywood

Price: $11.49 for 6 pack

My Review: This is the perfect beer for the Virginia Tech Hokies! Like the Hokies, it isn't outstanding in it's field. But, it is just good enough to keep it's fans excited and loyal. I actually like the taste a lot! It is not too heavy, so you feel like you can have multiple. For some reason, having it on draft in Blacksburg makes it taste better. However, this beer tastes the best after a Hokie win! A couple of these is Lane Stadium and you'll be dancing the Hokie Pokie like nobody is watching!

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shots

Name: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shots

My Review: WARNING, this is a dangerous shot because it's so delicious! Do yourself a favor and go to the liquor store and buy a bottle of Kissed Carmel Smirnoff with a bottle of Rum Chata. Both can be used in other cocktails, so the money will not be wasted! All that needs to be done to prep is to mix equal parts in a shot glass. Voilà! Down the shot and be transported back to quickly eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch before Elementary School!