Review: Graham’s Tawny Port 10 Years Old (2012)
This 10 year old tawny port is pretty, offering more than just madeirized raisin character, but also touches of orange, grapefruit, and a bit of black tea character. Bing cherries come along on the very long finish. It’s still young and offers a bit of woody astringency on the finish too, but overall this is…
Review: Broken Shed Vodka (2012)
Another New Zealand vodka, Broken Shed is distilled four times from whey (whey? no way!) — also known as milk honey — and blended with local water. It’s a fine, wholly credible vodka with few distinguishing characteristics. Nothing but light medicinal notes on the nose, it’s vaguely sweet on the palate. The finish heads back…
Drinkhacker 2012 Wine Cheat Sheet / Vintage Chart
Our sixth rendition of the Drinkhacker cheat sheet is now out. Just print, cut along the dotted lines, fold it up (into thirds), and stow it away in your wallet or purse. Next time a wine list stumps you, whip this discreet guide out so you don’t end up with a junky bottle from an…
Review: Vecchio Amaro Del Capo Liqueur
Born in Calabria — the “toe of the foot” of Italy — Vecchio Amaro Del Capo (or just Del Capo) is a classic amaro made from 29 local herbs and roots. Lightly brown like a brewed tea, it looks a bit like whiskey in the glass but smells far different as it is poured. A…
Review: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2012 Edition
Old Forester’s annual “Birthday Bourbon,” a limited edition release celebrating the birthday of one of Brown-Forman’s founders, is upon us. This year’s B-day Bourbon is 12 years old (its typical age), crafted from a single-day’s production of 82 barrels of whiskey. (The twist with this batch is that the mashbill included 2% extra malted barley…
Review: Great Lakes Distillery KinnicKinnic Whiskey
We’ve covered the vodkas of Great Lakes Distillery — branded Rehorst — in the past. Now we get to take a crack at the company’s whiskey. Kinnickinnic, we’re told by this whiskey’s label, is an Ojibwe word meaning “what is mixed,” and referred to a tobacco mixture the tribe would smoke. Here it applies to…
Review: “Wines That Rock”
AC/DC isn’t the only band on the block that can put its name on a label. Up next, an entire line of rockin’ vino, inspired by some of the biggest acts of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Winemaker Mark Beaman brings us five new wines, largely from Mendocino, with labels from The Police, The Rolling…
3 Amazing Halloween Cocktail Recipes, 2012
These seasonally-appropriate concoctions, courtesy of celebrity caterer Andrea Correale, sounded (and look) too awesome not to post. Candy Corn Cooler 2 oz. SKYY Infusions Pineapple vodka 1.5 oz. orange sherbet, softened 1 oz. pineapple juice 1 oz. milk 1 oz. simple syrup Combine SKYY Infusions Pineapple and pineapple juice in cocktail shaker with ice. Strain…
