Review: Magic Hat 2012 Winter Brews
Magic Hat is back with more seasonal beers, these designed for winter partaking. Thoughts on the three, available as part of the brewery’s Winter Variety Pack, follow. Magic Hat Wooly ESB with Spruce – I was expecting a forest-fueled bomb but got, well, a fairly standard ESB, a mildly bitter brew with solid hops to…
Tasting Report: Aromatic and Dessert Wines from Quady, 2012 Releases
With the holidays nigh upon us, celebrations will be in full force. Don’t forget the sticky stuff for dessert. Quady, which has been making its wines in Madera, California since 1975, offers a huge slate of dessert, fortified, and aromatic wines. We tasted a panel of six of its most popular offerings. Thoughts follow. (All…
Review: XXX Shine Salted Caramel Corn Whiskey
How do you take the edge off of white whiskey? You can put it in a barrel for 6 years or so, or you can drop in some flavoring and sell it tomorrow. Shine (aka “XXX Shine”) makes a straight white dog, but it also makes two flavored versions, a tea flavored whiskey and this,…
Review: Samuel Adams Utopias (2012 Release)
Our third look at Sam Adams’ Utopias — we also reviewed it in 2007 and 2011 — brings fresh eyes and fresh palate to one of the world’s most extreme beers. A blend of ultra-boozy liquids, some aged up to 20 years old, this wild brew is a mixture of Triple Bock beers, sweetened with…
Review: Wines of Chile’s Neyen, Ritual, and Primus, 2012 Releases
Huneeus Vintners manages a portfolio of wines from around the globe. Three of its South American Portfolio wines, all from Chile, were just released in new vintages. We tasted them all! 2008 Neyen Espiritu de Apalta Colchagua Valley – 80% Carmenere, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Inky deep maroon. Big plum character, with ample cinnamon, dark chocolate,…
Review: Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection Ladaig St. Joseph Finish and Balblair Crozes-Hermitage Finish
Independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail has added to its Private Collection with two new whiskys featuring exotic wood finishes, both ex-wine barrels from the Northern Rhone region. Details on each and tasting notes follow. Both are 90 proof. Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection Ledaig St. Joseph Wood Finish 19 Years Old – Distilled in 1993…
Review: Kahlua Gingerbread Liqueur
Every year Kahlua puts out a festive limited edition version of its coffee liqueur for the holidays. Last year it was Cinnamon Spice. In 2010: Peppermint Mocha. For 2012 Kahlua turns to the Christmas classic of gingerbread, with Kahlua Gingerbread Liqueur. Gingerbread is one of my favorite cookie/cake varieties… and it makes ample sense to…
Review: Amaro Tosolini
Grappa impresario Bepi Tosolini is expanding into the U.S. with its amaro, and an amaretto which we’ll be reviewing soon. The amaro, Amaro Tosolini, boasts a recipe that dates back to 1918, is made with 15 different herbs and spices, is aged in ash barrels for four months, and is finally brought down to proof…
