Review: Old Forester The 117 Series – Whiskey Row Fire
With Jackie Zykan’s abrupt departure from Old Forester a few weeks ago, the distillery’s 117 Series — which was billed as her creation and famously features her signature — will soon have to go in a new direction (or be discontinued altogether). This fourth installment in the series is Zykan’s swan song, a bourbon designed…
Review: Single Cask Nation Virginia Distillery American Single Malt 5 Years Old
Up until this point, every bottle that we’ve reviewed from Single Cask Nation has been scotch, but the independent bottler also offers a variety of spirits from around the world, several of which are distilled right here in the old US of A. In fact, they remain the only independent bottler of cask strength Wild…
Review: Gin Mare Capri
We are fans of the original Gin Mare, with its unique olive character, and now the producers have released a special edition as a follow-up. Gin Mare Capri is similar in design to its precursor but has some notable differences. It is made, their website explains, “with Italian bergamot from Calabria and lemons from Capri,…
Review: 2021 One Stone Rose of Pinot Noir Central Coast
This wine’s pinot noir hails from Paso Robles and adjacent areas, and in rose form it’s lots of fun, filled with strawberry, cream, and orange flower water. The exuberantly fruity wine is on the sweet side, but it works well with its notes of coconut, lemon peel, and all those red berry elements. Gentle florals…
Review: Rum Cartavio XO
Ron Cartavio is a Peruvian rum brand that dates back to the late 1920s. Their portfolio is impressively large with no less than seven age-stated offerings, along with several bottlings more geared toward mixing. Our first look at the lineup starts at the very tip top with their oldest XO offering, a blend of 10-…
Review: 2020 Ancient Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
This Paso Robles-grown cabernet sauvignon (made with an unusual blend of 78% cab, 7% petit verdot, 6% malbec, 6% petit sirah, and 3% syrah) comes across like many Ancient Peaks reds — heavy with beef and ruddy earth notes, its fruit locked up in slightly astringent, balsamic notes. Notes of spiced plum and licorice give…
Review: Cascade Moon Rye 13 Years Old and Barrel Proof Spirit 15 Years Old
Cascade Moon — the upscale sub-brand of George Dickel — recently dropped two new releases. Also dropped has been the numbering system which came with its first two whiskies, dubbed No. 1 and No. 2. Going forward, Cascade Moon bottlings will be distinguished by unique labels and descriptive naming systems explaining exactly what’s in the…
Review: 2020 Hilmy Cellars Petit Verdot
Hilmy Cellars can be found in Fredericksburg in the Texas High Plains, where just 115 cases of this petit verdot are made. Petit verdot can often be slightly off-putting, and while this wine is initially daunting and aggressive, it soon settles into a groove that lets its floral character shine. Tannins roll the wine from…
