Review: Harpoon Hometown Hat Trick
It’s another sports-themed beer from Boston’s Harpoon, this one brewed in collaboration with three Massachusetts native hockey players — Matt Grzelcyk, Chris Wagner, and Charlie Coyle. It’s a pilsner that’s triple dry-hopped to make for an unusual combination of lager and IPA styles, made with Cascade, Sterling, Citra, and Mandarina Bavaria hops. A portion of…
Review: Xicala Mezcal, Complete Lineup
Xicala Mezcal has been on the market for some time, but it’s recently expanded its line beyond a joven, adding a reposado and anejo to its repertoire. All three are made with traditional methods at Tlacolula Distillery in Oaxaca from 100% espadin agave, but the barrel regimen on the two aged mezcals is where things…
Review: Round Barn Winery Black Walnut Cream
Here’s a little twist on the cream liqueur space: Michigan-based Round Barn’s Black Walnut Cream is made not from distilled spirit as a base but from wine, into which cream and natural walnut flavors are added. The resulting cream is low in alcohol and have with nutty elements, particularly on the toasty, vanilla-scented nose. Notes…
Review: Jack Daniel’s Bonded and Triple Mash Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s has been on a tear of late, dropping special editions and permanent line extensions like JD 10 Years Old left and right. It’s odd that JD calls these two new whiskeys “the first super premium line extension in 25 years,” but I’m not sure what qualifies as “super premium” under Jack’s rubric, so…
Review: NV Cavas of Bella Conchi
Bella Conchi’s Cavas are affordable — but a bit hard to find in the U.S. We tried all three of the operation’s nonvintage offerings. Thoughts follow. NV Bella Conchi Cava Brut Seleccion – Bright lemon, pear, and quince lead the way on this iconic and effusive Cava, which fades to showcase notes of vanilla and…
Review: Rabbit Hole Cavehill, Dareringer, and Boxergrail (2022)
Forever ago, back in 2019, when we reviewed Rabbit Hole’s Heigold Bourbon, we updated you on the distillery’s rebranding earlier that year in which the original bourbon, rye, and PX finished bourbon each received some new duds along with a brand-new name. At a recent sit-down with Rabbit Hole’s founder, Kaveh Zamanian, we tasted through…
Review: Tommyrotter Vodka, Gin, and Bourbon (2022)
We last encountered Buffalo’s minimalist Tommyrotter in 2019. It doesn’t look like a ton has changed in the last three years, except for the brand’s whiskey lineup. The old American Whiskey is gone, a new Bourbon is in its place. We’ve got fresh tastings on the white spirits and a first look at the bourbon…
Bar Review: The Garden & Gun Club at Stitzel-Weller Distillery
Making whiskey is an industrial process, dirty and noisy and smelly. But you’d be hard pressed to find any of that on the modern Bourbon Trail. The entire Blue Grass State has become a veritable Disneyland of gleaming visitors’ centers and sparkling rickhouses, increasingly too clean to be mistaken for what they truly are: whiskey…
