Bottle opener

Bartenders Explain Why Cocktails Taste Better From the Bar (and How to Emulate Them)

On my walk to the bar, I rehearsed “para uno, en la barra está bien” exactly 30 times. I once read about a technique called mega-drilling, suggesting it takes 30 repetitions to cement a memory. I can’t tell you if it works, though. Because when I arrived at Baltra Bar,…

I’m 3 Months Into Intermittent Fasting. Here’s What I’ve Learned

Let me get this out of the way. I am not the following: seriously overweight, a fad dieter, nor a glutton for punishment. I do some weight training, running, high-intensity interval training, and gravel biking. I don't do those to set any records. As a 53 year-old husband and a…

8 Great Single Malt Whiskeys Not From Scotland

While you can find a great bottle of blended Scotch whisky from the likes of Famous Grouse, Chivas, Johnnie Walker, and Compass Box, Scotland is most famous for its single malt among whisky drinkers (even if blended whiskies far surpass the sales volume of single malts). Yet Scotland isn't the…

Black Book: The Cool Material Editors’ Favorite Things Right Now: December 2023

For many, the holiday season means wading through list after list looking for that perfect gift for the loved ones in your life (if you’re still on the hunt for a last minute gift, you just might find it among these gifts for him and gifts for her). And in…

5 Caribbean Rums To Bring a Taste of the Islands To Your Bar Cart

The right Caribbean rum is often the perfect answer for anyone pining for a tropical escape any time of year. And you don't always have to jump on the next flight to an island to find it and enjoy a cocktail or nice neat pour of a quality spirit (though…

Why I Collect Hot Sauces, Not Postcards, From Everywhere I Travel

Some people collect keychains when they travel. Some collect postcards. I collect hot sauces. It was around 7 am in Caye Caulker, Belize. Without a soul in sight, I had the entire beach to myself. That was, until two dogs joined me to frolic in the deep blue Caribbean Sea.…

The Perfect Beach Day Watch: Keil James Patrick’s Mount Gay Rum Collaboration

It took me until my thirties to understand the aficionado’s zeal for watches, an expensive accessory ultimately serving a humble function fulfilled just as easily by a cell phone or wall clock. But the more I build my wardrobe, the more I appreciate beautiful timepieces—portable art carried on the wrist;…

How the Swiss Army Knife Became a Multi-tool Standard

The Swiss Army Knife has been a staple in the pockets of adventurers, hikers, and everyday people for over a century. Victorinox is the primary brand associated with Swiss Army Knives, however, prior to its sale to the former, Wenger was another popular maker, with a name referencing the high…