Review: The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve (2021) and Vosges Chocolates
Dalmore’s Cigar Malt Reserve is a whisky that has never fully resonated with me since its relaunch in 2011, its extreme use of sherry putting me off a bit. The recipe appears to have changed somewhat since our last full review 10 years ago, with Dalmore now describing it thusly: The spirit is initially matured…
Review: Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA (2021)
Christmastime is when the red cans of Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA start showing up on shelves, a beer the company has brewed yearly since it was established 40 years ago. Launched to celebrate not just the holidays but the arrival of fresh hops, the classic IPA is made with a mix of Cascade, Centennial, and…
Review: Aberfeldy 18 Years Old Finished in Cote-Rotie Casks (2021)
This limited edition release of Aberfeldy 18 Years Old has an increasingly popular twist: finishing in red wine casks, which the distillery is rolling out for the second year running. In this case, the finishing barrels are from the Cote-Rotie region found in France’s Rhone Valley. There’s no word on the length of the finishing…
Review: The Whisky Exchange Black Friday and A Fine Christmas Malt 2021
Black Friday may have come and gone, but that doesn’t bother the purveyors at The Whisky Exchange — which is based in London, where Black Friday can’t even be a thing, can it? For TWE, Black Friday is a whisky, a special edition bottling that you can only get here. Tragically, it’s already sold out…
Review: WhistlePig “The Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific” Rye Whiskey 17 Years Old 2021
It’s December, so that must mean it’s time to get down with another release of WhistlePig’s prized Boss Hog, now in its eighth edition: LapuLapu’s Pacific, which is double finished in rum casks. It’s a single barrel release that’s “almost” 18 years old, but still technically a 17 year old bottling. Let’s dig into the…
Review: Firestone Walker Cinnamon Dolce Nitro Stout
Firestone Walker makes plenty of beers for cold weather sipping, but their latest seasonal release seems tailor-made specifically for the holidays. Let’s be honest. Cinnamon Dolce Nitro Stout sounds more like a Starbuck’s beverage than a beer, but apparently the discovery of a local vanilla bean supplier inspired them to go in that direction for…
Review: 2017 Quintessenz Kalterersee Classico Superiore DOC
Alto Adige is Italy’s northernmost wine region, bordering the Austrian alps on their southern side. The wines here are predominately white, yet there is a significant red wine production as well. Wines from the Alto Adige region usually have high acidity levels, resulting from grapes grown in vineyards of 1500 meters altitude and up. The…
Review: Baker’s Bourbon Exclusive Selection 2021
Baker’s Bourbon made a big shift in 2019, becoming a single barrel offering available as a 7 year old or a (very rare) 13 year old. Today we are checking out a very limited release that falls in between, dubbed Baker’s Exclusive Selection, bottled at the age of 11 years, 8 months. Like both of the…
