Review: Wines of Pine Ridge, 2012 Releases
Pine Ridge is a winery that I’ve visited many times and tasted many more. The proprietors were kind enough to send their latest round of releases for our commentary. Thoughts follow. 2010 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc+Viognier California – 79% Chenin Blanc and 21% Viognier, it turns out to be a fantastic combo. Peach and light…
Review: He’Brew Jewbelation Fifteen
Commemorating fifteen years of brewing, Shmaltz and its He’Brew line of ‘Chosen Beers’ unleashes a Frankenstein-esque monster of a beer with the latest release of Jewbelation. Jewbelation follows the significance of this anniversary by incorporating 15 different malts, 15 types of hops – which are added at 15 scheduled times – and reaches an abv…
Review: Willett Single Barrel Rye 3 Years Old
No big ceremony here: I can’t find much info on the mashbill (or anything else, really) for this whiskey, but I found this little Kentucky gem at Costco for all of $32.99. A really young, high-proof rye (110 proof), this lil’ upstart demands water and plenty of it. Without agua it’s just too brash (not…
Review: Whistling Andy Hibiscus-Coconut Rum
Coconut rum? Sure. Hibiscus-coconut rum? That’s a new one. The evocatively named Whistling Andy is naturally flavored with both of the above and is imbued with a deep orange color. First things first: The rum (distilled in Bigfork, Montana from cane sugar) is extremely sweet, with a nose redolent of cookies, caramel, nougat, and —…
Review: Ocean Vodka (2012 Formula)
We first encountered Ocean Vodka, made in Hawaii from organic corn and rye, and cut with deep ocean water to bring it to proof, in 2008. Since then, Ocean has returned, and with a new formulation: Distilled from organic sugar cane instead of corn and rye. (For what it’s worth, Ocean says it is the…
“Vatted” Malts No More
Whisky Advocate reports on the end of an era, terminologically speaking, anyway. In November the term “vatted” was declared illegal in Britain to use on whisky labels. The last legally “vatted” whisky was mixed up last night. Vatted malts are a mixture of malts from different distilleries; they are distinct from blended whisky because they…
Review: Hangar One Spiced Pear and Maine Wild Blueberry Vodkas
Hangar One recently launched two new flavors to its extremely well-regarded infused vodka line (Kaffir Lime is widely thought of — by myself included — as the best flavored vodka on the market), with pears and blueberries their respective inspirations. Both are naturally infused, colorless, and bottled at 80 proof, uncommon for flavored vodkas. Thoughts…
Review: Harviestoun Brewery Ola Dubh Ale Special 18 Reserve
While I defer most of our beer coverage to Greg, this new, limited edition release was too close to my heart to pass up. It’s an ultra-dark ale that is aged in barrels that used to house Highland Park 18 Year Old Scotch whisky — one of my perennial favorite Scotches. Gaelic for “Black Oil,”…
