Tequila Review: Dos Manos Reposado

I’ve been seeing this one around quite a bit lately, claiming that valuable shelf space at the big grocery stores. Of course, I can think of a truckload of other brands I’d like to have easy access to rather than this one. The truth is there is some good spicy cinnamon aftertaste here, a touch of pineapple, but the initial flavor is a harsh alcohol burn that is too overwhelming. The bottle’s nothing special either, one of those squat cubes. At least give me something nice to look at while I’m cringing at that rough first punch. All that said, there are some decent flavors hiding in there and, sadly, if you’re at the supermarket and nothing’s on sale, this may actually be your best bet for the price.

I live to bleed another day!

Woo hoo! It looks like I've made it to the top five in the Leisure Books/Chizine/Rue Morgue "Fresh Blood" contest, even though the judges didn't care for my opening chapter (comments included "ARGH-FUCK-KILL!" and "I was longing for Mary to blow her brains out at the end, because I simply didn’t care about her"). Author introductions are up now on chizine.com.

The top five finalists are:

• A Fine Likeness, by Sean McLachlan
• Breed, by Sean Logan
• Disunity, by Aaron Dries
• Heart of the City, by Lisa A. Koosis
• The Sorrows, by Jonathan Janz

So that's the good news. The bad news is that I only got 4% of the popular vote, and the next round of voting determines who will be eliminated. So I'm going to need to try a bit harder to rustle up some votes. And if anyone's reading this *sound of crickets* I'd sure appreciate your support when voting opens again on March 15.

Tequila Review: Leyenda del Milagro Reposado

A very light and pleasant tequila. Many of same pros and cons as the Fox Mi Mexico, but along with the higher price comes some added complexity, with a nice layering of aftertastes, a little bit of spice, just a hint of vanilla. However, like the Fox, it lacks the depth and richness of the top shelf. But come on, what do you expect at this price? It’s absolutely worth the price tag. Plus, it looks as good as a lot of those more expensive brands. Look at that bottle--muy bonita! And if you’re trying to impress the chicks (or dudes, or whatever) this one will help.

Random Top 5: Underrated Pizza Toppings

5. Roasted potatoes
4. Gorganzola
3. Walnuts
2. Arugala salad
1. Sun-dried cranberries

In case you were wondering, yes, I am from California.

The FAQs of Life

In this feature, I provide definitive answers to unanswerable questions.

Today's question:

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Answer:

The egg

Follow-up question:

So where did the egg come from?

Answer:

From something almost exactly like a chicken

You can now file this question under: ANSWERED!

Tequila Review: Fox Mi Mexico

This one was a surprise. If you dig a mild tequila, this one’s for you. It probably has the lightest flavor and mellowest burn of any tequila I’ve had so far. Pleasant flavors of cinnemon and a floral aroma, no unpleasant aftertaste to speak of. So why is it so cheap? Probably because that mild flavor comes with a distinct lack of body, and experienced drinkers will be underwhelmed. It lacks the oak and earthy richness of the higher end tequilas. Its spicy flavor almost seems added, like it has been artificially flavored. However, there’s no denying that this one is a real bargin and it may be the perfect choice for inexperienced drinkers. If you’re new to tequila, you might actually prefer this to some more expensive bottles.