Review: Collingwood Rye Canadian Whisky 21 Years Old
Who, who, whoooo is putting out 21 year old rye? At a price of 70 bucks (or less)? Collingwood, that’s who. Collingwood is best known for bottling its spirits in what look like oversized perfume bottles, but it should be known for the quality of the spirits inside. Standard Collingwood, a young Canadian blend, offers…
Review: 3 Banfi Chiantis, 2013 Releases
Three new wines from Chianti under the Banfi banner (though only one has the Banfi name on the label), all recent releases. Thoughts follow. 2011 Placido Chianti DOCG – A very pretty, lightly floral Chianti, with bright fruit and hints of leather on the nose. The palate is all cherries, all the way, lightly tart…
Tasting the Wines of Emiliana’s Coyam, 2013 Releases
Chile’s Emiliana produces wines under a number of labels, but few are as popular as Coyam, an organic and biodynamic wine that’s blended from up to six indigenous grapes. The neat thing about Coyam is that the blend varies — sometimes wildly — from year to year, and resident winemaker Noelia Orts recently traveled to…
Review: Santa Teresa 1796 Ron Antiguo de Solera Rum (2013)
Santa Teresa 1796 is a blue-chip rum made using the solera process by Venezuela’s oldest rum producer. Aged in ex-Bourbon and Cognac casks, Santa Teresa 1796 was primed with a “mother rum” that was already between four and 35 years old. That’s been being passed down through the solera since 1992 when this brand was…
Recipe: Thanksgiving Cocktails 2013
The time is almost here for us Americans to gorge ourselves on a feast of food, take long naps, and watch the national embarrassment that is the Detroit Lions lose yet again on national television. And so in lieu of the traditional beer, wine, and spirits sure to be served, we offer up these recipes…
Review: Hennessy Privilege VSOP Cognac
A new VSOP from Hennessy, meant to stand as an upgrade to the standard-grade Hennessy, and with a slightly higher price to match. Privilege is a perfectly acceptable brandy, with easy fruit on the nose, some raisins, some spice, and a little raspberry tea. The palate is warm, with applesauce notes, oranges, honey, and baking…
Review: The Yamazaki 25 Years Old
For relaxing times, make it Suntory time… 25 years old. Yamazaki is the top-selling single malt in Japan and has made huge inroads Stateside in recent years, with no small thanks to Lost in Translation, which did for the whisky what Sideways did for Pinot Noir. Lately, Yamazaki (and pretty much all Japanese whisky) has been expanding…
Review: W.L. Weller Special Reserve, Old Weller Antique 107, and W.L. Weller 12 Years Old (2013)
With Pappymania 2013 reaching a fever pitch, we figured we would review some wheated bourbon alternatives to satisfy those not fortunate enough to get their hands on a bottle so they could re-sell it for simply ludicrous prices. W.L. Weller Special Reserve (2013) – Formerly carrying a 7 year old age statement (Buffalo Trace has…
