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At last, the infamous Week In Cocktails makes its triumphant return.  The WIC took months off to find itself, even dated Julia Roberts in India for a short while, but now is back in full force.  With any luck, the Week In Cocktails will actually make an appearance on a weekly basis.  While that is a noble intention,  let us just enjoy it’s appearance here now.

The Gin-Vent Calendar from theginblog.co.uk

Below are some news and notables from the last week from the world of booze.

• The New York Times just listed Oakland, California as a top five destination in the world for 2012.  This due to Oakland’s burgeoning restaurant and bar scene.   As an Oaklander, I am so proud.
• Saveur magazine offers a tasty quaff called a Breton.  Based on a traditional Czech liqueur called Becherovka that is topped with ice, tonic and a lemon wedge and is a drink that anyone who loves a good G&T should try.
• A local profile of the recently opened Barrelhouse Flat lounge in Chicago with their focus on pre-2oth century flavors.
• Derek Brown of The Atlantic released a list of his top five cocktail experiences of 2011.  Five bars from three countries and five cities are represented.  Justin Pike of the renown Tasting Kitchen in the Venice area of Los Angeles topped the list with his barrel aged Martinez Sour.
• This next one is from October but I am behind in my reporting and this one needs to take a bow.  Our friends at The Gin Blog found (what I believe is) truly divine inspiration in the creation of humankinds first all gin advent calendar.  Called The Gin-Vent Calendar, this is something you must see.
• The food blog Carlene’s Figments has a simple but very satisfying recipe for a gin, rosemary and grapefruit cocktail that I particularly enjoyed.
• If you are looking to fight the winter chill from within the confines of a glass, the kind folks at Spoon Fork Bacon offer a warm and wonderful Winter Spiced Old Fashioned.  If you like a good Old Fashioned give this one a try.  The addition of cardamom and anise play very well here.