Review: Southern Star 2024 Carolina Panthers Paragon Bourbon
The 2024 NFL season marks the 30th anniversary of the Carolina Panthers. As the official craft bourbon of the Panthers, Southern Distilling Company in Statesville, North Carolina kicked off the season by releasing a limited expression to commemorate the occasion. Officially called Southern Star 2024 Carolina Panthers Limited Series Paragon Cognac Finish Cask Strength Wheated…
Review: 2017 Moretti Omero Vignalunga Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG
Remember when albums were released on compact disc, but there would be an additional, unlisted bonus song at the end in the liner notes? That is not what is happening here, but think of this as a bonus track to a recently published survey of Sagrantino wines, and we are waxing nostalgic for the…
Review: Rye Whiskeys of Hard Truth (2024)
As of July 1, 2021, the state of Indiana recognizes standards of identity for carrying the moniker Indiana rye. Hard Truth Spirits in Brown County, Indiana was at the forefront of the push to garner official recognition for Indiana rye whiskey. Long before Hard Truth and master distiller Bryan Smith released their first house-distilled bourbon in…
Review: 2021 Lithology Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Lithology is a rather under-the-radar luxury cabernet brand, but I’m making the argument that it shouldn’t be. This remote Howell Mountain operation is managed by three winemakers — Philippe Melka, Maayan Koschitzky, and Matt Sands, plus consulting winemaker Michel Rolland. Their idea? Work their winemaking voodoo each year by selecting the right fruit from the…
The Art of the Whiskey Deal: An Interview with Wilderness Trail Co-Founder Pat Heist
It may be somewhat old news, but the sale of Wilderness Trail to Campari Group in late 2022 in a deal valued up to $600 million remains the biggest declared American whiskey acquisition since Jim Beam sold to Suntory in 2014 (for 16 billion). Balcones traded hands to Diageo for an undisclosed sum not long…
Review: Virginia Distillery The Brewer’s Coalition American Single Malts
Located in Lovingston, Virginia Distillery has quickly garnered a following as one of the premiere distillers of American single malt. The Brewer’s Coalition series features some of the distillery’s oldest single malt finished in casks from popular breweries. For this series, Virginia Distillery enters whisky aged for at least 5 years into beer casks for…
Review: Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest 2024 and Cali Squeeze Beers
Ready for oompah season? California’s Firestone Walker is back with its “Oaktoberfest” annual seasonal — now 18 years old — plus four editions of a new beer called Cali Squeeze. Cali Squeeze is a new line of easy-drinking “tropical wheat ales,” each made with real fruit in the recipe. While these are designed more for summer…
Review: Benromach 50 Years Old
Benromach is a distillery that probably feels very new to most drinkers, seeing as its modern era began only in 1998. But Benromach’s history dates back to 1898, changing hands a few times until its closure in 1983. (Today’ Gordon & MacPhail operates the distillery.) What we have here is perhaps the oldest Benromach ever…
