Review: Barrell Vantage
We’re back again with yet another special release from Barrell Craft Spirits, and this one is all about the wood, three different types of wood, in fact. I’ll let Barrell supply the deets: Vantage is a blend of straight bourbons finished in three distinct expressions of virgin oak: Mizunara, French, and toasted American oak casks.…
Review: Chemist American Gin and Navy Strength Gin
Chemist Spirits was founded by Debbie Word in 2018 in Asheville, North Carolina and recently garnered attention by being featured in the 2022 Daytime Emmy Awards gift bag. I wasn’t invited to the event, but I am always excited to try a new gin even if I can’t rub elbows with Susan Lucci. To make…
Review: Uncle Nearest Uncut/Unfiltered Rye
Uncle Nearest is getting into the rye game in a big way this fall. Soon, the Tennessee distillery will be offering a whopping three new rye whiskey expressions. But before that happens, Uncle Nearest has given its most dedicated fans a cask strength, non-chill filtered sneak peek at what’s to come with this bottle. I’ll…
Review: NV Graham Beck Brut Rose
We previously reviewed Graham Beck Brut sparkling wine, and today we are sampling their Brut Rosé. Both are made in the Méthode Cap Classique, which is the South African terminology for the traditional Champagne method of having secondary fermentation occur in the bottle. Both also use the same grapes, but in different proportion. For the…
Review: Bardstown Bourbon Fercullen Blended Whiskey
Bardstown Bourbon Co. embraced the trendy “bottle it yourself” concept back in 2021 with the launch of their Distillery Collection, a series of releases available exclusively at the distillery in Bardstown. Visitors can purchase these bottles in the gift shop or, if they really want a made-for-social-media memory, they can hand-bottle their own from a…
Review: Cognacs of Drouet – VSOP, XO Ulysee, Fine Melina, and Muscat Cask Finish
Drouet is a Cognac producer that traces its history back to 1848. Revitalized by the present, 4th generation, they use sustainable agriculture practices across their 40 hectares of vines located in both the Grande Champagne (70%) and Petite Champagne (30%) crus to create an impressively broad portfolio of traditional expressions and unique “craft” Cognacs. We…
Review: Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey 4 Years Old (2022)
For such a humble brand, Old Overholt Rye has undergone an awfully large number of reinventions over the last decade, including a full relaunch with proof change only 2 years ago, a bonded expression, and an overproof version. Now standard-issue Old Overholt is changing once again, keeping the new 43% abv but adding a 4…
Review: 2021 Flat Top Hills Pinot Noir
We had the good fortune to review a selection of offerings from Flat Top Hills around this time last year. And we continue that good fortune into 2022 with the opportunity to review winemaker Randy Herron’s 2021 Pinot Noir. We’re a bit delayed due to an unfortunate bout of Covid that robbed me of the ability…
