Review: 2020 Duck Pond Pinot Noir and Rose
Duck Pond Cellars, owned by Great Oregon Wine Company & Distillery and based in Willamette Valley, recently announced that its 2020 Pinot Noir and Rose were the first recipients of a new wine certification from a third party organization called the Clean Label Project, “which is helping to transform the wine industry by defining what…
Review: McFarlane’s Reserve Bourbon
When my brother was tasked with bringing some bourbon for a recent family gathering, the staff at a local franchise of a major retailer suggested McFarlane’s Reserve as an affordable Weller alternative. Just now your mind may have come to a screeching halt as mine did; perhaps due to its rather daring, and to…
Review: 2019 Planeta Cometa Sicilia Menfi DOC
We last reviewed Planeta’s Cometa bottling back in 2012 (in a tasting with Francesca Planeta herself), when Sicily didn’t even have DOC status. The wine here hasn’t really changed — it’s still 100% fiano — but my impressions of it have evolved. Surprisingly dry, it offers hints of melon, lemongrass, and and a thick layer…
Review: Vara High Desert Gin
Recently we brought you reviews of Taylor Garrett whiskeys, an accelerated-aging spirit line produced in New Mexico. Vara is a gin made at a sister distillery, and since it’s unaged, there are no tricks up any sleeves with this one. The double-distilled gin includes a bill of botanicals that are fairly straightforward but heavy on…
Review: Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Years Old
Julian Van Winkle III, by all accounts the godfather of today’s bourbon hysteria, put the family name on more than just bourbon. While the annual 15-, 20-, and 23-year-old bourbon releases are some of his most sought-after inventions, a slightly lesser known, but no less coveted, rye whiskey sits among the “Pappy” lineup. The Van…
Review: Montelobos Mezcal Joven – Tobala
Montelobos recently expanded its mezcal lineup with a second expression, this one made in Puebla from tobala agave. It’s also higher in alcohol than the earlier espadin-based expression — and quite a bit different all around. The nose here is pungent, but not in the way you think. It’s actually just mildly smoky an vegetal,…
Review: Port Askaig 12 Years Old – Bourbon Cask and Sherry Cask Marriage
Today we’re in for a fun treat, tasting Port Askaig Islay whisky at 12 years of age, but with two very different barrel treatments. (As a reminder, the Port Askaig brand is made up of whiskies sourced from other Islay distilleries — never named, but bottled as Port Askaig.) Details on the two spirits —…
Review: Natural Light Sour Seltzers, Complete Lineup
Natty Light, the brand you know and love, is spreading its wings with numerous new products including, of course, a malt beverage-based seltzer, which is available in four flavors. The twist? They’re all sour — the first ever sour seltzer, per the company — so fans of the mouth-puckering stuff may find them a refreshing…
