For Day 5 of “Author Madness,” the Poetastic Two have asked me to discuss an author that inspires me. My answer might surprise you.
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Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
It’s Day 3 of #AuthorMadness2026, and the Poetastic Two at The Six Degrees of Poe offered participants this prompt: “Highlight the wonderful aspects of writing you enjoy.” And so I offer these thousand words, in a picture:
In the argot of acting, this would be considered “method.”
A Toast!
It’s Day 2 of #AuthorMadness2026. And today’s prompt from The Six Degrees of Poe asks us to propose a toast to one of the characters in our recent books. Here’s my toast:
Advent Spirits Day 22: Still Gin
Remember yesterday when I was bemoaning how it seems that everyone who has put out a record has launched their own brand of alcoholic spirit? Well, meet Still Gin (or, more precisely, Still G.I.N.), which comes from your friends Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. I’m not making this up.
Snoop is an interesting guy: He’s put his name on cannabis (I know; shocking, right?), pet supplies, wine, breakfast foods (“Snoop Loops,” which was probably inevitable), coffee, and numerous other products. He also has changed his name several times, from Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., to Snoop Doggy Dogg, to simply Snoop Dogg, then for a brief time to Snoop Lion (does anyone remember that??), and now, apparently, back to Snoop Dogg. Meanwhile, Dr. Dre is known for his “Beats” headphones, which at least are remotely connected to the profession for which he is known.
So now they’ve made a gin. Excuse me if I’m skeptical. And yet, their combined worth is about a billion dollars (Dre has the “lion’s” share, if you’ll pardon the expression.) So they must know a thing or two about pleasing the public. Then again, McDonald’s knows a thing or two about pleasing the public, but no one wouldn’t call their hamburgers gourmet.
Let’s check the blurb on their website: “Modern yet elegant, the latest release from the hip-hop icons’ new spirit company bursts with notes of tangerine, jasmine, and coriander for an unforgettable aromatic finish. Defiantly smooth.” Well, we should give it a try.
Appearance: It’s as transparent as my barista’s uncharacteristic friendliness during the Christmas Tip Season.
Aroma: This actually has an inviting aroma. There’s no alcohol astringency–just botanical freshness. It’s mild and floral and maybe a little citrus. Dare I say “gin and juice?”
Taste: OK, I have to admit this is one of the best gins I’ve tasted. It’s exceptionally (or is that “defiantly”?) smooth. There’s no alcohol harshness. It tastes like a walk through a botanical garden on a spring day right after a rain. (Snoop, I’ll give you that one for free.)
Finish: There’s a crispness on the finish that really puts a bow on the sipping experience. It’s got the alcohol warmth without the bite. That’s some sophisticated crippin’. OK, I’ll stop now.
Bottom Line: This stuff is about the same price as Bombay London Dry Gin, which is my usual bar staple. I think I like Snoop’s version better for sipping…but how would it be in a martini? We may need to explore this further.
Advent Spirits Day 20: Cazadores Tequila
Here it is, the 20th of the month, and only now do we get to a second tequila. This time it’s from a company called Cazadores.
Now, this is a blanco tequila, meaning that it’s not aged. So that’s strike 1. But let’s see if their website can give us any reasons to love it:
“Crafted in the Highlands of Jalisco, made with 100% Blue Weber Agave, Cazadores has stayed true to its roots since 1922 — authentic, smooth, and made to celebrate lifes [sic] real moments.”
Other than the claim about the agave, this is pretty meaningless. And their credibility is shot given their inability to properly use punctuation.
Then they add that their blanco is “tequila in its purest form, without aging, for intensity and real flavor of agave. Citrus fruits, fragrant herbs and the customary smooth finish makes [sic] Tequila CAZADORES® Blanco excellent for cocktails or sipped neat.” Strike 2.
Still, I am a professional, and I will taste this tequila in spite of the errors of punctuation and subject-verb agreement.
Appearance: As an unaged spirit, this is as colorless and unremarkable as my dating life in college.
Aroma: It smells fresh and slightly honey-sweet, with a little citrus in the background. It’s inoffensive, though not exactly what I’d want in an alcoholic drink.
Taste: Now would probably be a good time to admit that I’m not a huge fan of tequila (though I do like me a good Mezcal). So when I say that this stuff tastes like Plasti-Goop, it’s entirely possible that it’s supposed to taste that way. In any event, the taste reminds me of plastic irrigation pipe and Berryman Chemtool and glazing putty.
Finish: Now, here’s the secret to Cazadores’ success (for they’ve been around for over a century): The finish is not nearly as harsh as the chemical-y taste would lead you to expect. In fact, I’d say the finish is mild, and somehow those sweet and citrus notes from the nose turn up again to seduce you into thinking maybe you were hasty in disparaging the taste. So you take another sip, and the scales fall from your eyes. And you pour it into the nearest potted palm. Won’t get fooled again.
Bottom Line: As I said, I’m not a blanco tequila fan. So if it’s your thing, don’t let me yuck your yum. But do yourself a favor and mix it into a margarita.
Chasing Phantoms 