Review: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2022 Edition
The 22nd edition of Old Forester’s classic Birthday Bourbon is upon us. This year marked a shift in the way Birthday Bourbon is sold. Rather than being sold at the distillery, it was offered via a lottery that was held during the last week of August. I also had to hunt high and low to…
Review: 2018 Arano Ribera del Duero Moradillo de Roa Crianza
This 100% tempranillo wine hits all the right notes. Initially a touch on the jammy side, Arano’s 2018 Ribera soon settles into a groove of bold blackberry and plum notes, followed by touches of backing spice. A creamy chocolate character builds from there, landing on a gentle touch of mint to finish things up. Well-rounded…
Original Recipe: Highland Split
If it feels like the world is awash in craft cocktail recipes, that’s because it is. With so many different options for vermouths, amari, bitters, tinctures, and everything else that can acceptably be mixed with alcohol, the sky is the limit. And you don’t have to get wildly creative to construct your own unique cocktail…
Visiting Barrow’s Intense Tasting Room, World’s Largest Selection of New York State Spirits
When Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur opened a new Brooklyn distillery in May 2019, founder Josh Morton was adamant about creating a full bar and tasting room experience for visitors: cocktails, spirits served neat, seasonal specials, and even a full bottle shop. But under New York law, virtually all craft distillers in the state with retail…
Review: 2021 Sunny With a Chance of Flowers Rose
Billed as a low-calorie (85 per serving), low-carb wine, Sunny With a Chance of Flowers really trims down its waistline load by lowering its alcohol level to a mere 9% abv. What’s in it? Who knows. The official website lists the grape varietal as “rose,” so there’s really no telling — though we do know…
Review: Jacob’s Pardon American Whiskey #2 8 Years Old
We recounted the story behind Jacob’s Pardon in our review of their two 15-year-old whiskeys and 8-year-old Small Batch American Whiskey Recipe #1. Today we are trying the second release of the younger offering. For Recipe #2, Master Blender (and well-known spirits writer) Paul Pacult took a very different approach. The earlier release included MGP…
Review: Opihr Spices of the Orient Gin
Opihr “Spices of the Orient” is a London dry gin that’s inspired by the old Spice Route that stretched from Europe to Persia, India, and China. Its ingredient list includes cardamom, black pepper, and ginger from India; juniper from Italy; cubeb berries from Malaysia; coriander from Morocco; orange peel from Spain; cumin and grapefruit peel…
Review: Flying Ace Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Here’s a more budget-friendly whiskey offering from the folks behind Michigan’s Fox & Oden. At a stated minimum of just three years old, this is a considerably younger bourbon than that brand, but it relies on the same high rye, MGP-distilled mashbills. The name is said to be inspired by “generations of American aviators” while…
