Review: Papa’s Pilar Rum Legacy Edition 2022
Boutique rum brand Papa’s Pilar is back with another limited edition expression, this one dropping at the tail end of 2022. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of The Old Man and the Sea, the 2022 Legacy Edition rum features a dark rum blend sourced from Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela, and Florida. It’s then finished in French…
Review: Macorix Rum Gran Reserva
Ron Macorix is little seen in the U.S., but it’s been making rum in the Dominican Republic since 1899. Gran Reserva is the company’s top end spirit, though details on its production are decidedly scarce. This bottle was procured (not by me) directly from the distillery. It’s a perfectly serviceable rum, though hardly top shelf…
Review: WhistlePig Single Malt 21 Years Old The Beholden
WhistlePig is famous for its rye whiskeys, so the launch of a single malt comes as a big surprise. Even bigger than that, however, is its age: 21 long years in barrel. Formally known as The Béhôlden, this whiskey comes with plenty of punny, anti-Scotch goofiness that comes across as a bit of smoke and…
Review: Signatory Glen Rothes 2010 11 Years Old from Spec’s
This bottle of Glenrothes — “Glen Rothes” per this label — was independently bottled by Signatory as part of its Un-Chillfiltered Collection in 2021, after 11 years in a hogshead. It’s a single barrel selection “specially selected for Spec’s Texas,” with 252 bottles released at cask strength. It’s essentially a classic representation of Speyside —…
A Visit to Cognac, France – Part 1: Maison Ferrand
To know Cognac the spirit is to know Cognac the place. Cognac is the product of a minuscule region, rigorously protected by law and produced here and only here for centuries. This tiny town in the west of France is fully built by, for, and around the production of the world’s most famous brandy. “Without…
Review: 3 Wines from Beaujolais, 2023 Releases
Beaujolais seems to be a region on the rise, and I find it on more and more wine lists these days. That’s a good thing, because Beaujolais is affordable, versatile, and — as you’ll see in the trio of reviews below — extremely variable in its characteristics and palate. Let’s try three, each from a…
Pairing Bold Flavors and the Ethos of Champagne with Kwame Onwuachi
Chef Kwame Onwuachi is having a moment. Or perhaps a multi-year series of them. Since a Top Chef appearance in 2015 springboarded him into the mainstream eye, Onwuachi’s resume has expanded to include more and more roles. He’s a repeat author, multi-time restaurateur, creative director, and designer. In 2022, he even partnered with Orly Beauty…
Review: McConnell’s Garrison Brothers Whiskey & Pecan Pralines Ice Cream
Whiskey and ice cream are natural — nay, iconic — matches, and Texas-based Garrison Brothers and California’s McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams figured this out long ago. The two companies have partnered twice before on special edition ice creams; this time around they’re pairing McConnell’s fresh cream with Garrison Brothers Small Batch bourbon plus salt-roasted, caramel-coated…
