Review: Glenfiddich 21, 30, and 40 Years Old
Glenfiddich is the number one selling single malt whisky in the world. And while the green, 12-year-old expression is a fixture at bars and liquor cabinets around the world, the Highlands distillery makes some exemplary — and very rare — old whiskys, as well. We got a look at some of these special bottlings firsthand,…
Review: Don Q Limon, Gold, and Gran Anejo Rum
We’ve reviewed rums from this Puerto Rico distillery a few times before (here, and here), but this time we’re really getting into the good stuff, with Don Q’s Gran Anejo the top of the company’s standard product line. Don Q Limon Rum is the company’s citrus-flavored rum. Lemon/lime is the focus here, and the rum…
Tasting Report: 2010 CCOF Organic Wine Tasting
Here’s a funny thing: In the world of food, organics provide serious credibility: An organic food product is thought to taste better, be healthier, and is priced accordingly, often twice that of a conventional product. But in the world of wine, being organic gets you just about nothing. Organic wines are generally thought to be…
On Glassware
Reader Jeffrey Glas writes: I have been following your blog for a couple of years now and have a quick question for you. What kind of glasses do you use for sampling various spirits and wines? Good question, and I’m happy to share. For spirits, I almost always use one of three glasses: The Glencairn…
Review: 8 Bruichladdich Expressions, 2010 Releases
Islay’s Bruichladdich produces so many whiskys that it’s hard to keep up. We got a look at eight of its most recent releases. Bruichladdich 16 Years Old First Growth Series: Cuvee E Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes Finish – Part of a series of six cuvees, each finished in a first-growth Bordeaux cask. This one is from…
Review: 2008 7 Deadly Zins Zinfandel Lodi
You can always count on the Zinfandel people to come up with a punny name for their wines — and none is more over the top than Michael-David’s 7 Deadly Zins, a bargain Lodi wine that is ubiquitous in liquor stores. What’s it like? Seriously, intensely smoky — deadly, even — with huge raisin and…
Review: 2008 & 2009 Mouton Cadet and Cadet d’Oc Wines
Now on its 80th year, Mouton Cadet is a venerable budget label from the venerable Baron Philippe de Rothschild. (If your supermarket carries any French wine, it’s probably this.) The brand is now extending the line but instead of blending a selection of grapes, traditional with all Bordeaux wines, the new Cadet d’Oc wines (pictured)…
Recipe: Pass the Turkey
I love a good Thanksgiving cocktail… but boy are they hard to do right. This one, “Pass the Turkey,” created by Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer, sounds just about perfect. Pass the Turkey 1.5 oz. Wild Turkey 101 2 oz. apple cider 1 Tbs cranberry jelly 1 sprig fresh sage 1 sprig fresh thyme Muddle sage…
