Review: Fever-Tree Margarita and Bloody Mary Mixers
Fever-Tree is famous for its carbonated mixers, and now it’s turning its attention to an obvious counterpart: cocktail mixers in the form of margarita (two types) and Bloody Mary mixes. The trio are available in 750ml bottles and, like most Fever Tree products, are made from high-grade ingredients. All prices below are for 750ml bottles.…
Building the Ultimate Spirits Getaway: A Visit to Bhakta-Griswold in Vermont
Since 2020, Raj Bhakta’s eponymous second act in spirits has built a reputation as one of the most interesting companies in alcohol. First came Bhakta’s vintage blended Armagnac, which carried a 50 year age statement and included liquid dating back to 1868. Next up were single vintages, more brandies (including calvados), a finished bourbon, and…
Review: Agavales Tequila Blanco
I will be honest with this one: This was the cheapest 100% agave blanco tequila that I could find that was available in a liter format (which I needed for another project for Wired). The tequila is certainly harmless, with expressive lemon notes on the nose, followed by gentle, herbal agave and a few white…
Review: Blackened Whiskey Cask Strength Volume 01
Blackened, the sonically enhanced whiskey brand from heavy-metal band Metallica, has been busy since we last checked in on them back in 2018. A rye, dubbed Rye the Lightning, joined the standard offering, a bourbon and rye blend, last summer. Before that, the portfolio expanded with the “Masters of Whiskey” limited edition series showcasing collaborations…
Review: Austrian Sparkling Wines, 2023 Releases
Pet nat gruner and fizzy moscato from Austria? Wake up, Sally! This is happening. You probably won’t see either of these wines on the list at your favorite haunt any time soon, but if you’d like to consider the potential of Austrian sparklers, these two wines are a great place to start. 2021 Hager Matthias…
Review: Hemingway Rye 1st Edition
Hemingway Whiskey Company is a new project from the people variously behind Angel’s Envy whiskey, Papa’s Pilar rum, and The Old Man and the Sea. There’s plenty of credibility behind the bottle, but what’s inside is mostly MGP: 94% 9 year old Indiana straight rye plus 6% 4 year old Kentucky straight rye distilled by…
Review: Benzeni Floating Coasters
Take some ping-pong balls and put them inside a hair scrunchie and presto, you have Benzeni, a “floating coaster” that can wrap around any beverage so you can take it into the pool. Whether it’s as slim as a seltzer can or as fat as an insulated mug, Benzeni can adapt, courtesy of its stretchy…
Review: Teeling Single Pot Still Virgin Portuguese Oak Irish Whiskey
When Dublin’s Teeling released its Chinkapin Oak aged whiskey last year, I don’t think it was intended to be the first in a series — or at least I didn’t realize it at the time. Now the company is out with a follow-up in what it’s calling the Wonders of Wood (WOW) series — all…
