Review: New Riff Heirloom Bourbons – Yellow Leaming and Blue Clarage
New Riff loves pumping out special releases, and its latest takes a cue from the world of heirloom grains. Specifically, both of these are made from rare, regional, heirloom corn crops called, alternately, Yellow Leaming and Blue Clarage. Here’s some backstory: Both bottled in bond without chill filtration at 100 proof, the Yellow Leaming and…
Review: Mayenda Tequila Blanco
Who’s ready for a new tequila? And by that I mean a new tequila, complete with “two extra steps of craft and care” in the production process. Here’s all the info: Mayenda was named as a tribute to Mayahuel, the Aztec goddess of agave, and celebrates the rich history of the revered plant. Each small batch…
Review: Heimat Liqueurs – Bosc Pear, Rhubarb, Blackberry, and White Peach
When first introduced to Heimat, Drinkhacker jumped the line by diving into their limited release premium bourbon cask-finished Bosc pear liqueur ahead of their core offerings. No we are retracing our steps here to explore their mainstay, which are the unfinished fruit liqueurs as unadulterated and natural as they come (“the fruit, and nothing but…
Review: Diageo Orphan Barrel Project Scarlet Shade Rye 14 Years Old
Diageo’s Orphan Barrel Project continues its run with its first ever straight rye — a 14 year old bottling from Indiana that was aged in Kentucky and bottled in Tennessee. There’s no mashbill information provided, but based on my tasting, it’s safe to assume this is made from MGP’s 95% rye, 5% malted barley mash.…
Review: Ports of Kopke, 2023 Releases
Last year I had a chance to sit with winemaker Carla Tiago and try some extraordinary ports, including 50 year-old white and 50 year-old tawny Ports. Today we swing back around to try Kopke’s more modest offerings, including two 10 year olds, a 20 year old, and a late bottled vintage offering. That isn’t to…
Review: Michter’s Single Barrel Straight Rye 10 Years Old 2023
Last year, Michter’s fans had to settle for only one of the brand’s coveted 10-year-old single barrel releases. Luckily, it was an exceptional rye whiskey, one of Chris’s favorites in the lineup to date, but Michter’s has since emphasized that they are taking steps to avoid that shortfall in the future. The press release accompanying…
Review: Stags’ Leap WInery 2020 Chardonnay and 2019 Petite Sirah
The summertime releases from Napa’s Stags’ Leap Winery are upon us — one ready for the pool, the other for the grill. 2020 Stags’ Leap Winery Chardonnay Napa Valley – No surprises here, with this 2020 chardonnay pouring out notes of green apple and lemon curd, filtered through layers of vanilla-heavy oak. A guava character…
Review: Whiskey Jypsi Legacy Batch 001
And the celebrity whiskeys just keep on rolling. A recent addition to that ever growing category is Whiskey Jypsi, brought to us courtesy of country music singer Eric Church and Outsiders Spirits. Read on for a little backstory. Well, maybe a lot of backstory. The first release, Whiskey Jypsi’s Legacy Batch 001…is based on a…
