Review: Ransom Old Tom Gin
A reader recently turned me on to Ransom’s Old Tom Gin, asking (nay, begging) for a review. I’m obliging. Ransom Old Tom Gin is different than most gins. For starters, it’s yellow, not clear. That’s a characteristic of the rarely-seen Old Tom style, which was popular in the mid-1800s and faded into obscurity when the…
Tasting Report: Wines of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, SF Roadshow 2012
A few months ago I got the chance to visit some of Oregon’s best wineries. Recently, they brought the wineries to me. In a presentation of several dozen of Willamette Valley’s most notable wine producers, “Pinot in the City” saw over 200 wines being poured for attendees hot for both Pinots — Noir and Gris.…
Review: 2011 Makara Sauvignon Blanc and 2011 Mountain Door Malbec
Vintage Point imports small production wines and sells them for cheap. Turns out they’re not doing a bad job of it. Here’s a look at two of the company’s new U.S. releases. 2011 Makara Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough – Distinct mango and pineapple notes, with a juicy, fruit-heavy body. Reasonably acidic, but could use a little…
Review: Wemyss Single Cask Single Malts, 2012 Releases
Wemyss (“weems”) Malts, based in Edinburgh, has become well known for its blended malt whiskys in a small number of years (it was founded in 2005). But Wemyss also releases a periodic series of single malt whiskys, all bottled from single casks, following a number of prior, limited-edition releases along these lines and in keeping…
Review: Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water
Fever-Tree has a richly deserved reputation as the producer of some of the finest artisanal mixers in the business. Its Indian Tonic Water, Ginger Beer, and Ginger Ale are all top notch. Now Fever-Tree is expanding its tonic water portfolio with a new spin: Mediterranean Tonic Water, which is made “using the most authentic strain…
Review: Scotch Malt Whisky Society October 2012 Outturn
Five whiskys this month from the SMWS. Thoughts follow on each. SMWS Cask 5.35 – 12 year old Auchentoshan from the Lowlands – Big orange flower and honey on the nose. Very light smokiness on the finish. Youthful and fresh, it shows off its grain base but in a modest and understated way. The sweeter…
Tasting Report: Family Winemakers of California 2012
This year’s Family Winemakers of California event — the largest wine tasting in the U.S. — marked a real return to quality, with lots and lots of good producers and great wines on display. I didn’t have nearly enough time to sample everything I would have liked (you can tell I tried to go through…
Bourbon Battle: Booker’s vs. Baker’s (2012)
Booker’s and Baker’s can often be found side by side on the back bar, and even seasoned Bourbon fans are apt to confuse them. This is understandable. Allow me to explain. For starters, there’s the name thing. Baker’s. Booker’s. You might think one was attempting to mislead drinkers by tricking them with a sound-alike, but…
