Review: Yellowstone American Single Malt
Everyone’s getting into the single malt game now that the official TTB rules have been proposed — Jesus, even Jack Daniel’s has a single malt — so it’s only natural that Yellowstone would drop one sooner or later. Like most of Yellowstone’s production, this one’s also sourced — this one from Indiana, which is proof…
Review: 2022 Sonoma-Cutrer Rose of Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Sonoma-Cutrer releases this rose made from Russian River pinot noir annually, always just in time for summer. As in the past, the sub-12% abv ensures it’s suitable for daytime sipping, and the flavor profile — with heavy notes of strawberries and cream, layers of fresh blossoms, and a spritz of orange flower water — fits…
Review: Garrison Brothers HoneyDew Bourbon (2023)
In the past, a mention of honey and whiskey on a bottle label typically meant you had stumbled on a liqueur (whether that label said so or not). But in recent years, some distilleries have endeavored to infuse their whiskeys with honey in a different way, often by using a honey-filled finishing cask — a…
Review: Ardbeg Heavy Vapours
On June 3, Ardbeg will release its latest “Ardbeg Day” limited release during the annual Fèis Ìle festival. As usual, the distillery will be celebrating with an oddball special edition: Ardbeg Heavy Vapours. Why the name? Let’s dive in: For the first time ever at Ardbeg its whisky has been distilled without a purifier – the…
Review: Texas Heritage 2019 Petite Sirah and 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Texas Heritage Vineyard can be found in the wine-soaked reinvention of Fredericksburg, Texas, where I’m told they have a dazzling tasting room. I haven’t seen it, but I have tried a couple of their wines, though none of their most renowned bottlings, which revolve around Italian grape varietals. 2019 Texas Heritage Vineyard Petite Sirah Paka…
Review: Willow Creek Malt ‘n Oats Whiskey
Willow Creek Distillery is one of those rare operations that’s an offshoot of a winery: Specifically, Paso Robles-based Opolo Vineyards, which we have covered regularly over the years. Willow Creek got going in 2013 with the intent of producing spirits to accompany their wines; as you can imagine, the operation focuses heavily on brandies (grape…
Review: Cappelletti Aperitivo
People seem to love a little something red in their cocktails. Aperol, the beloved, ruby-colored Italian liqueur, has been having a moment for a while now. If you disagree, try finding a respectable bar that doesn’t offer their eponymous spritz. The gin boom of recent years has also fueled a Negroni craze, meaning Campari, that…
Review: Calirosa Tequila Extra Anejo Cinco Anos
Calirosa, which ages its tequila in red wine barrels from California, is back with a new expression. No, it’s not a reposado — though the company finally now makes one — but an extra extra anejo, aged for five years, roughly three times the length of aging of the anejo offering and two years longer…
