Review: Mackmyra Swedish Whisky “The First Edition”
I’m married to a Swede, but this is — amazingly — my first Swedish whisky. Sweden has a fairly young history as a whisky producer — only nine distilleries are operating in the country now, all but one (Mackmyra, reviewed here) having been founded in the 2000s. Mackmyra is the country’s most notable producer to…
Review: 2008 Grgich Hills Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Grgich Hills is an iconic winery of Napa Valley, but the wines tend to be all over the map, an inevitability, perhaps, of increasing production to the point where the wines are omnipresent — albeit expensive — in the supermarkets of America now. This Cabernet is perhaps the winery’s flagship bottling, widely available yet pedigreed,…
Recipe: St. Germain Seasonal Variations
The other day during our daily news briefing, we made mention of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and the customized, high-end bicycle now being sold on its web site. Along the way, we also noticed updated cocktail recipes, and tried a few out last night over a marathon Magnum P.I. session, courtesy of Netflix Instant. Winter…
Review: Soiree Bottle-top Wine Decanter & Aerator
We’ve covered wine aerators in the past and are generally bullish on their utility. The problem, of course, is bulk. Where do you keep this thing? And what do you do about all the wine dripping off of it when it’s not hovering over a glass. Enter Soiree: A wine aerator that attaches to the…
Review: Guinness Generous Ale
This seasonal English Dark Mild Ale slipped through the holiday cracks at Drinkhacker HQ, but we’re trying to atone and get a quick review up while it’s still on the market. (It should be readily available for at least another month or so.) Surprisingly mild-bodied, it’s somewhat woody on the nose, exhibiting some mild baking/Christmas…
Tasting the Wines of Valencia, 2013 Releases
Valencia is a Spanish region that sounds oh-so-familiar but, in reality, is one which few Americans could pinpoint on a map. It’s actually a region of Spain in the east, along the Mediterranean sea — about as far away from the more famous regions of Rioja and Ribera del Duero as you can get in…
Review: Newcastle Winter IPA
The latest in Newcastle’s seasonal releases is this cold-weather brew, a Winter IPA designed for celebratory tidings. The amber beer doesn’t come across as particularly IPA-like. It’s not particularly bitter or hoppy; in fact, it’s on the sweet side. Perhaps that’s what makes it “winter” — some vague baking spices in the finish that play…
Review: 2012 River Road Nouveau Rose of Pinot Noir
This ultra-young rose of Pinot Noir — picked, produced and bottled all in 2012, a la Beaujolais Nouveau — is ultra-fruity, with fresh strawberries and pineapple backed up with a touch of rose petals. Complex? Not exactly, but it’s got a fun zip that, once you push past all the sugary notes, makes for a…
