Review: Wines of Holman Ranch, 2013 Releases
This Carmel Valley-based winery makes a collection of delicious whites plus some exceptional Pinot Noirs — about 3,000 to 5,000 cases annually. We tasted pretty much the entire current release lineup. Thoughts follow. 2011 Holman Ranch Pinot Gris Carmel Valley – Fresh, fruity, very much alive. Friendly on a summer afternoon or with dinner, offering…
Review: Iceberg Vodka, Complete Lineup
We last encountered this Canadian vodka — made with pure iceberg water, it’s said — last year. Now the company has expanded its lineup to include three flavored vodkas. Fresh thoughts on the original plus the three new offerings follow. Iceberg Vodka – Clean, Euro-styled vodka with a lightly medicinal backbone. Some sweetness develops as…
The Drinkhacker Shopping List – 07.05.2013
It’s Friday once again and time for the Drinkhacker Shopping List, our semi-regular look back at the best and the worst of products we’ve reviewed over the last few weeks. Recently, we’ve had several product lines come through the mailbox courtesy of Hangar 24, Iceberg Vodka, Long Island Spirits and Sazerac, which has just released…
Review: Iichiko Shochu – Silhouette and Frasco
Shochu is something we see so seldomly here at Drinkhacker that we don’t even do! have a category for it. (I’m putting it in the sake category for lack of a proper one.) Shochu has many of the same flavor characteristics as sake, but it can be made from other starches than rice — namely barley,…
Review: Soireehome Tempour
There are wine gadgets and there is the Tempour, which aims to do pretty much everything you could possibly do to a wine in a single, somewhat crazy package. The elongated cylinder literally has it all. From the bottom up: Stainless steel chilling rod, aeration vent, sediment filter, pouring spout, and a stopper up top.…
Review: Campo de Encanto Pisco Grand & Noble Acholado
One of the top brands of the pisco revival, Encanto has been making waves for years — and we’re only just now getting around to reviewing it formally. An acholado style pisco, Encanto is a blend of distillate from four types of grapes — Quebranta (74%), Torontel (6%), Moscatel (4%) and Italia (16%). (Most other…
Review: Pine Barrens American Single Malt Whisky
Long Island Spirits — whose vodkas and liqueur lineup we recently covered — is the company behind this single malt, Pine Barrens, another entry into the burgeoning American single-malt market. Pine Barrens begins as beer, specifically Old Howling Bastard, made by Blue Point Brewing in nearby Patchogue. After distillation it is aged for about a…
4th of July Cocktail Recipes, 2013
For reasons passing understanding, the inbox flows full for the Fourth of July (for everyone outside of the United States, that’s our Independence Day) with cocktail recipes galore. More than any other holiday, we get an influx of really good recipes to pass on. Here’s but a small sample of our good fortune, and we…
