Review: Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
The most celebrated beer in the world, Guinness Extra Stout, has a baby brother: Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. What is it? Guinness brews “Foreign Extras” for a number of countries, and the U.S. had one in 1817. It was discontinued during Prohibition and has been off the market ever since. Now it’s back, and bolder…
Review: Wines of Arkenstone, 2007 Vintage
2007 Arkenstone Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley Howell Mountain – Huge body, rich gold color, tastes slightly woody. I would not have guessed this was Sauvignon Blanc, it’s so buttery and creamy. No zip and low in acid. Very strange for Sauv Blanc, but certainly unique. B+ / $45 2007 Arkenstone Vineyards Syrah Napa Valley…
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…
