Review: Canaima Gin
Canaïma gin is produced in Venezuela by a surprising maker: the distillers of Ron Diplomático. Made with 19 handpicked botanicals, six of which are native to the Amazonian rain forest (cashew (merey), acai, uva de palma, tupiro, seje, and copoazu), each is said to be individually distilled to make this unique gin. Traditional gin botanicals…
Review: Stella Rosa Tropical Passion Brandy
You know the wine, now get to know the brandy. The massest of mass market wine brands, Stella Rosa, parachuted into the brandy business late last year, offering a trio of brandies at launch — all flavored and imported from Italy. We received one of the three: Tropical Passion, which is further described on the…
Review: Heimat Barrel Finished Bosc Pear Liqueur
Ute Londrigan is the founder of Heimat NY, a small-batch fruit liqueur producer based in the quiet suburbs of New York, ideally situated between the bustling city and the lush and diverse fruit farms further north. The launch of Heimat NY in November 2018 seems almost predestined, as Londrigan carries the torch of the craft…
Review: Wines of Donnafugata, 2023 Releases
Sicily’s Donnafugata is no stranger to Drinkhacker’s pages. In fact, post #1, back in 2007, was a review of a Donnafugata wine. 16 years later we’re back for more, which now includes a partnership with Dolce & Gabbana, which provides a brand-appropriate spin on a few of the winery’s labels. Today we take a deepish…
Review: Bayou Rum Reserve and XO Mardi Gras
Bayou makes Louisiana-style pot still rums, and unlike most domestic producers, it is attacking the top of the market with its wares. We recently received two of its products, including its prized XO Mardi Gras expression. Let’s dive in. Both are 80 proof. Bayou Rum Reserve Select Barrel – Solera-aged, including maturation in “wet ex-bourbon…
Review: VinXplorer Beverage Backpack and WineHive Wine Rack
What more could wine consumers want these days? It seems the metropolis of wine accessories and accoutrements at one’s fingertips are busting at the seams already. What could the community of fine wine lovers still need? FlyWithWine seems to putting that question back on the table by offering a portfolio of select products that seek…
Review: Whiskey Town American Whiskey 26 Years Old
Based in San Francisco, Fat Labrador Distillers has gradually released various sourced and wood-finished expressions under the Whiskey Town banner, including a stave-finished, 3 year old bourbon from Indiana. The other of their early sourced releases is an altogether different beast and the first in their “lost barrel” series: a 26 year old American whiskey…
Review: Wines of Ettore, 2023 Releases
As the proprietor of an organic winery in Mendocino’s Sanel Valley, winemaker Ettore Biraghi prides himself on applying old-world Italian techniques to his offerings, placing an emphasis on Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot varietals across 35 acres of vineyards. Today, we have a look at three of his most recent releases. 2019 Ettore Cabernet Sauvignon…
