Arctic Chill sent us one of their muddlers for a review so we decided to give it a try.

The product is a nice smooth metal grip with a nylon head. It’s look is simple and basic.

One of the things I liked about this muddler is its short, stout shape. I?ve come across many metal muddlers that seemed designed more like some arm-length car mechanic?s tool. I could appreciate Arctic Chill?s design in that way.

This muddler, like other metal ones, is fitted with teeth on the bottom which makes them better suited for crushing than their wooden counterparts.

Its effectiveness in crushing citrus and other ingredients definitely lives up to the message. It was quite easy to mash up a slice of orange and a cherry into sugar and bitters, if that?s something you want to do.

As most cocktailians know, muddling is really less about ?crushing? ingredients and more about opening them up.

The point is not to pulverize mint leaves into sugar when making a mojito as Bacardi commercials would have you believe.

(I suspect this misunderstanding of how mojitos are made is one of the reasons so many bartenders claim to hate making them.)

Many herbs are so delicate it takes little more than a light tap to release the oils and aromas of the plant.

So, I’m not a big fan of the tag line on the box, ?crush citrus fruits, herbs and spices with ease,? for this reason.

One other concern I would have regarding this product would be its durability over time with either being washed by hand or in a machine. Still, nothing in my review led me necessarily to believe it would degrade over time.

I generally prefer wood muddlers. They can be particularly beautiful and have an appeal the way many baseball fans prefer wood bats over metal ones. Both materials have their benefits and, in many ways, it simply comes down to a matter of preference.

The Arctic Chill muddler is great for the amateur mixologist at home. It would also work for a restaurant or bar that was simply looking for a reliable tool for day-to-day muddling.

See our videos for our a closer look at Arctic Chill’s product in action.

Every whiskey enthusiast has a collection. For the folks of Scofflaw?s Den, these collections can be large and even appear a little hoarder-ish.

So when one of us is looking to finish off a bottle you?re going to want to be around. Liquor, after all, is made to be drunken.

This week, our friend Sean Mike shared a bottle of Willett Single Barrel Rye Whiskey at The Passenger near Chinatown.

Ledroit Brands, Washington D.C.?s current Willett distributor, dubbed this share ?The Iron Fist.? How could you resist a name like that?

If you are unfamiliar about how this works, Kentucky Bourbon Distiller (KBD) brand makes entire barrels of their whiskey available for purchase. If you can afford that type of indulgence and really love whiskey this might be a great investment.

The Iron Fist was distilled in Bardstown, Kentucky and aged in oak for 23 years.

Each of these distinct Willett-labeled Ledroit whiskeys were given a unique and unconventional name. The Iron Fist?s presumed counterpart, for instance, is named ?The Velvet Glove.?

Others names include ?Orange Blossom Special,? No Chemists Allowed,? ?Cocoa Loco,? ?Suspension Bridge,? and more.

Cask strength is always a little difficult for me when trying to parse out flavors. But, one major takeaway about this particular bottle of hooch was how I felt the taste very much lived up to its name.

Caramel, vanilla, and spice are always the most obvious characteristics coming from any bottle of whiskey. Some express toffee. You could find these in this Willett.

For me, however, there was a tinge of brininess hidden at the very end which put the brakes on those sweet-associated flavors. I have mostly gotten this element from single malt scotches.

The burn on my mouth was an easy one. It never really muted the flavor and even handed them off to me in a much smoother way than many of the other cask strength whiskies I have tasted.

Most of those whiskies completely blow out my taste buds. It really gives you appreciation for dilution. This whiskey leaves quite an impression despite its strength.

Speaking of which, I really need to dilute my own collection of booze that has been collecting dust in my apartment. Maybe, it is time I shared a few bottles of my own?