Gator Ron’s Divine Bloody Mary Mix. A Perfect Morning Cocktail.
For me, bloody marys are the alarm clocks of holiday weekends. Rolling straight out of bed on a lazy holiday morning to a delicious bloody mary is the stuff dreams are made of. And this past weekend was no different. I had the pleasure of waking up to Gator Ron’s Original and Chesapeake Divine Bloody Mary Mix.
Gator Ron’s Original Divine Bloody Mary Mix
Slightly sweet with a bit of spice, the Original contains lots of straightforward tomato flavor in a nice, thick mix that makes the perfect consistency when combined with your choice of liquor. Brown sugar brings out the natural sweetness in the tomato, and large chunks of horseradish offer a subtle, slow burn.
Gator Ron’s Chesapeake Divine Bloody Mary Mix
Slightly more spicy and complex in flavor, the Chesapeake offers more heat with a touch of Old Bay seasoning. A serious amount of horseradish and the addition of black pepper bring a good amount of upfront burn, while the Old Bay transforms a normal tomato flavor into something a bit more sophisticated.
Which is better?
Both the Original and the Chesapeake are very good, very balanced and the perfect consistency. But even when drinking them side by side, it was difficult to pick out any super obvious differences. The Original smelled much more tomato-ey than the Chesapeake, but the Chesapeake didn’t exactly scream Old Bay. And while the Chesapeake clearly had more horseradish than the Original, it wasn’t super spicy either. As an experiment, I added my own Old Bay to the Chesapeake. This further accentuated the differences between the two mixes and put the “Chesapeake” style flavor right in the forefront. So bottom line is, if you’re looking for a straightforward, classic bloody mary, get the Original. If you want a spicier, more complex bloody mary, get the Chesapeake (and maybe try adding some Old Bay to it).
Gator Ron’s
Gator Ron’s is based in Bethesda, Maryland, and, in addition to these fantastic mixes, they make a variety of barbecue and wing sauces. But what really makes Gator Ron’s unique is that because Gator Ron himself had Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), “a percentage of proceeds from all sales of Gator Ron’s products is donated to research that seeks to understand, treat and ultimately cure ALS.”
You can buy Gator Ron’s sauces and mixes online through their website or in stores and restaurants in and around Maryland.
Both Gator Ron’s Original and Chesapeake Divine Bloody Mary Mix receive Celery Stalks.
I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”