Review: 2020 Domaine Bousquet Alavida Malbec
The label of this wine does its very best to inform customers that this Domaine Bousquet offering is a bottle for celebrating, with numerous toasts and well-wishes from around the world in a handwritten font and lively colors. “A La Vida,” when translated, bears a resemblance to the Hebrew toast “L’chayim,” which means “to life!,”…
Review: Avion Tequila Reserva Cristalino
The latest tequila distillery to jump on the cristalino craze is Avion, which formally drops this into its oversized Reserva Range. Avion’s Cristalino is a blend of añejo and extra añejo tequilas that is then double charcoal filtered to clear. Let’s give it a whirl. Initially, the nose is decidedly on the green side, with…
Review: High Camp Highball Shaker
High Camp makes a pretty cool travel flask, and recently it expanded its repertoire to include a natural addendum: a shaker perfect for outdoor environs. Unlike the partially magnetically sealed flask, the High Camp Highball Shaker includes three components that all screw together, making for a higher-grade seal. The components includes a 20 ounce vessel,…
Review: Tequila Don Julio Primavera
Tequila Don Julio Primavera is a special edition of the distillery’s reposado, finished in casks which previously held wine infused with macerated orange peels, “striking the balance of citrus and honey.” It’s a unique approach to tequila, but does a special wine cask (and a funky, rounded-base bottle) merit a $150 price tag? (One whose signature…
Review: Wines of CK Mondavi, Summer 2022 Releases
We recently tried three white wines from CK Mondavi, and today we dive deeper into their current offerings, reviewing two Chardonnays and two Cabernet Sauvignons. CK Mondavi consistently produces very affordable wines, and today we find out whether these four are bargain bottles worth seeking out. 2021 CK Mondavi Chardonnay – Golden straw colored, this…
Review: The Producer Mezcal – Espadin & Cuishe and Tepeztate
The Producer is a new mezcal producer that has arrived with two bottlings, each made with different types of agave (one a blend, on a pure Tepeztate offering). Hailing from Oaxaca, Mexico, The Producer seeks to present a mezcal that speaks to patience, passion, and an appreciation for refinement. In conjunction with the launch, the…
Review: All the Bitter Alcohol-Free Bitters, Complete Lineup
Bitters are traditionally made, quite simply, by steeping botanicals in alcohol for a length of time, then bottling the finished product. Bitters add a lot of flavor to a drink, but they also add a bit of booze — most bitters are actually very high in abv — so for folks looking to limit or…
Review: Penelope Bourbon Architect Build 1, American Light Whiskey, and Barrel Strength Batch #8
Light whiskey is having a mild renaissance of late, including this latest from Penelope, which was distilled from corn by Seagrams Indiana in 2008; aging was completed in second fill oak barrels for 13 years. Thoughts follow, along with a look at the latest Barrel Strength Batch from the company, batch #8, and a…
