Like all major sports and tournaments around the world at this time, we've postponed our tournament for the time being due to global pandemic.  In an effort to promote social responsibility, we're recording episodes via teleconference to accommodate physical distancing, not social distancing; and rather than making the drinks that we've codified and use as part of our scoring system, we're doing like many of you and working with what we have.  In the first of a series of these episodes, join us as we drink two tequila drinks and two gin drinks as we take 199 Proof into the age of the Quarantini.  Cheers

Episode 125: The Quarterfinals Revealed.  We are down to our final eight gins, and now we need more than just gin and tonics to determine a winner in each episode.  Find out what cocktails we're adding, and why, as we talk to a special guest: New York City's Parkside Lounge owner, Chris Lee.  After we hear from Chris, the quarterfinals are revealed.  Cheers!

Episode 124: Copenhagen Gin vs. Fords- In the final episode of this round, Daniel's oriGin spirit goes head-to-head against Fords, a gin built to be a jacl-of-all-trades.  Copenhagen, a gin distilled from mead using only one botanical, yields a very unique flavor, and Fords, which uses only nine botanicals and has a very familiar name attached to it.  Which gin will win the final spot in the quarterfinals?  Listen in!

These two gins from former British colonies compete in perhaps our tightest episode yet.  Four Pillars from Australia, and Greylock from Berkshire Mountain Distillers, have Dan and Marc split on almost every category, yet they both agree that these gins are delicious.  Take a listen as we whittle down our field and inch closer to the final 8 gins in the opening season.

Episode 122: Malfy vs New Amsterdam- This episode features a fairly straight forward Malfy from Italy's Amalfi coast, against the winner of the Value Gin episode, the sweeter and more widely available, New Amsterdam.  While one comes across as very traditional and juniper forward, Marc figures out what the other reminds him of.  Another gin joins the Quarter Finals as we wind our way down in the Round of 16.

Episode 121: Plymouth vs. Boodles- This episode features two very well established and old English gins.  One is very citrus forward, the other is distilled with no citrus at all.  Can the gin from England's oldest working gin distillery take down the relative newcomer, which is a mere 174 years old?  Take a listen and, and pay particular attention to some very interesting garnish rounds.  Cheers.

Episode 120: Brooklyn Gin Vs. Corgi Earl Grey- This episode pits our Novelty Episode winner Corgi Earl Grey against our Second Chance Episode winner, Brooklyn Gin in a unique match-up.  These two gins, separated by only a few miles and two rivers, are worlds apart philosophically.  The garnish round takes a bit of a different turn as we end up drinking some delicious cocktails.

Episode 119: The Botanist vs. Edinburgh Gin's Cannonball Navy Strength.  This Round of 16 match up features two Scottish masterful gins: one, a boozy and modern take of botanical gin from Islay, and the other, a bold Navy Strength from Edinburgh.Both did extremely well in their first brackets, but differences emerge as we take them head to head in another round of Data Driven Drinking.

Episode 118: Junipero vs. Uncle Val's Botanical: This matchup takes San Francisco's Junipero, one of the early US entries into the craft gin market, and not surprisingly, a juniper forward gin, and puts it up against Uncle Val's Botanical, distilled in Bend, Oregon.  While Junipero is a modern interpretation on a classic flavor profile, Uncle Val's is inspired by a man and his garden, and is an incredibly bright and fresh tasting spirit.  Join us as we put these through our rigorous scoring system, featuring Gin and Tonics with several garnish rounds.  Cheers.

Episode 117: Edinburgh Gin vs. Greenhook Ginsmiths: In this first Round of 16 matchup, Edinburgh Gin, with it's first round bye into this round, takes on New York City's Greenhook Ginsmiths gin.  This round features extra scrutiny, additional garnishes, and 16 delicious gins from across the spectrum of modern gin, and around the world.

In this abbreviated update, Marc and Dan explain what's changing for the next rounds, and what's staying the same.  The Round of 16 match-ups are revealed as we prepare for some really discerning drinking in the weeks ahead.  Cheers!