Review: Michael-David Lust, Sloth, and Gluttony Zinfandels, 2011 Releases
Michael-David’s 7 Deadly Zins is a staple of every Supermarket in America. But it is also endeavoring to bottle individual “Zins,” with three serious vices — lust, gluttony, and sloth — now available. Personally, I’m holding out for greed, but meanwhile we tried the three current editions, each a Zin from a different part of…
Review: Esprit de June Liqueur
Nothing if not a unique spirit, Esprit de June is crafted from the vine flowers of a variety of grapes, primarily Ugni Blanc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The French company would love for you to believe that the flowers on each grapevine contribute different flavor characteristics to the liqueur, but with something this sweet, picking…
Review: Pisco Porton
I’ve learned more about pisco in the last 48 hours than I’ve ever wanted to know. In a nutshell, pisco is the Peruvian or Chilean take on brandy (the two countries are virtually over war over which pisco is “real”): Made by distilling wine then bottling it without aging, pisco is a white spirit that…
Review: 2011 Sparklers from Lamberti, Freixenet, and Valdo
Just because New Year’s Eve has come and gone doesn’t mean you can’t keep drinking sparkling wines. (Remember, Valentine’s Day is just weeks away!) Here are four affordable and widely available non-vintage sparklers from our friends in Italy and Spain. Get more easy-to-find sparkling reviews here! NV Lamberti Prosecco Extra Dry – (Italy) – A…
Review: Cockspur Fine Rum and Bajan Crafted Rum 12 Years Old
Cockspur isn’t a new name in the rum business, but corporate changes have led to Cockspur recently updating the way it sells its product in the U.S. Most notably, for the first time in decades, Cockspur’s U.S.-sold bottlings will be bottled in Barbados, where all the rum is made. Previously, Cockspur you purchased here was…
Review: Single de Samalens Armagnac 8 Years Old
Good armagnac can be elusive, but Single de Samalens makes a compelling case for its revival. This armagnac is “single distillery, single grape” — Samalens is 100% ugni blanc, aged 8 years — and is designed to be dry (like whisky) instead of sweet. Sure enough, Single de Samalens has an intensely woody character, not…
Review: John L. Sullivan Irish Whiskey
After Jameson and Bushmill, most drinkers would be hard-pressed to come up with another Irish whiskey brand. Well, I’m going to tell you to check out John L. Sullivan. This small batch Irish, named after the last bare-knuckled boxing heavyweight world champion, is distinguished by being aged in “single use” Bourbon barrels. Now, most Irish…
Review: Beefeater Winter Edition London Dry Gin
Gin is traditionally associated with summer drinking — and in fact, Beefeater put out a “Summer Edition” gin earlier this year to take advantage of that notoriety. So what do you do when winter’s chill is felt? Put out a “Winter Edition” gin to try to prove the snowbirds wrong. Beefeater Winter Edition is likely…
