Review: The Arran Malt Devil’s Punch Bowl Chapter II – “Angels & Devils”
Last year’s limited edition Devil’s Punch Bowl from Arran was one of my favorite whiskys of the year, and it all but vanished from the market in months. Now Arran is back with a sequel — Chapter II, “Angels & Devils.” This is crafted from a collection of whiskys put into cask in 1997, 1998,…
Review: Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
‘Tis the season for two things: A seasonal Kahlua mash-up and pumpkin everything. Here those two trends crash together with the inevitable: Kahlua Pumpkin Spice. Kahlua’s twists on its classic coffee liqueur can be hit or miss, but this one manages to work fairly well. The secret is that the “pumpkin spice” element is dialed back,…
Review: Fratello Hazelnut Liqueur
Hazelnut doesn’t get a lot of love in the cocktailverse (Frangelico is pretty much your only choice), or in the world at large, outside of Nutella, anyway. The Italian Fratello Liqueur is created at the Francoli Distillery in Piedmont. It’s made from toasted Piemonte hazelnuts that are infused with cocoa, vanilla berries, and elderflowers. Local…
Review: Stoney Honey Infused Grappa
Is it a rarity or an oddity? Stoney Honey Infused Grappa is both. Distilled and bottled by St. George Spirits, this unique and very small batch project flavors grappa (no word on what grape varietals) with sage honey for Riverbench Winery. The nose offers lavender, eucalyptus, and light citrus. I’m immediately reminded of spa oils,…
Review: Jack Daniel’s Winter Jack Tennessee Cider
I first encountered Winter Jack several years ago on a trip to Germany. There it was, this curious bottle set on the back bar in an outdoor Christmas market, where it was subtitled an “Apple Whiskey Punch.” Turns out the holiday-themed spirit has been popular in that country for a few years, and now, Winter…
Tasting Report: WhiskyFest San Francisco 2013
WhiskyFest 2013 is now in the books, and my what an embarrassment of riches this show was. While I heard grousing about the show not having as many hits as usual (most of the independent Scotch bottlers like Samaroli were absent), I managed to find a ton of them. Driven this year perhaps by a…
Review: Mellow Corn Straight Corn Whiskey
With the craze of flavored spirits reaching a fever pitch, I’ve been patiently waiting for the corn whiskey renaissance to take on full steam. There have been promises via Hudson, Balcones and other distillers, but it doesn’t seem to be taking on momentum the way the “white dog moonshine” trend of 2012 did. The folks…
Review: The Balvenie Tun 1401, Batch 9
The 9th outturn of The Balvenie’s Tun 1401 bottling (and the 3rd I’ve experienced) is one of its best. Like Batch 3 and Batch 6 before it, Batch 9 is another U.S. exclusive, but will still be available in minuscule quantities, with just 14 casks married to create this batch. The spirit is drawn from…
