Review: Tia Maria Cold Brew, Matcha, and Iced Coffee Frappe
Of all the brands making a big push into new markets, the last I would have thought of was Tia Maria, a coffee liqueur developed in Jamaica in the 1940s. The brand was recently sold to Saronno, and it’s currently made in Italy. Recently the brand added two new expressions, one built around matcha tea…
Review: Wines of Raptor Ridge, 2021 Releases
Raptor Ridge is a Willamette Valley-based producer of the typical Oregon grape varietals — plus a couple of twists, one of which we check out below in this roundup of three warm weather-friendly white wines from this Newberg-based operation. 2019 Raptor Ridge Pinot Gris Willamette Valley – A classic expression of pinot gris, floral and…
Review: Jack Daniel’s 10 Years Old Batch 1 (2021)
Jack Daniel’s has been making headlines for its latest bottling, the first whiskey with a 10 year old age statement in more than 100 years. (You can see an old bottling of JD at 10 years old in the photo above.) Most JD carries no age statement at all, of course, so it’s unusual to…
Review: Wines of Chile, 2021 Releases
Chile’s winemaking credentials should need no introduction, but lately the region has been promoting a less oft-cited characteristic: sustainability. The six wines reviewed here (which hail from all over the country) are all created with environmental, social, and economic stability as a goal. You’ll also note another common denominator among them: affordability. Let’s dive in.…
Review: Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca Bar Strength
It’s been seven years since we reviewed the core lineup from Cachaca from Novo Fogo. Back then we praised the Silver’s nose of tropical and citrus fruit, with cedar, mushroom, and fuel-like aromas. Today, we have an update on the spirit dubbed the “Bar Strength.” As the name suggests this variant is targeted for on-premise…
Review: Brody’s Cocktails – Air Mail, Black Orchid, and Touch of Grey
Brody’s Cocktails have had quite a rewarding year, having won numerous spirits awards recently. They offer five varieties of ready-to-drink / ready-to-mix cocktails in 375ml bottles that tout masterful blending and no artificial sweeteners. The backstory is simply of founder Cristy Neunson’s quest to simplify making quality cocktails at home, and filling what seemed to…
Review: West Cork Stout Cask Matured Irish Whiskey
On the heels of its IPA Cask Matured Irish Whiskey, West Cork is back with another beer-aged bottling. Like the IPA edition, the name here is misleading: This is finished in Irish stout casks, not fully aged in them. (And like the IPA edition, the beer comes from Blacks of Kinsale and is limited to…
Review: Ballast Point Calico, California Kolsch, Sculpin, and Big Gus
Ballast Point recently celebrated a quarter century of San Diego beermaking by releasing a mix pack of some of its greatest hits from those years, including four offerings: Calico (Amber Ale, 1996), California Kölsch (German Style Pale Ale, 1996), Sculpin (IPA, 2005), and Big Gus (IPA, 2021). You’ll get three cans of each in each…
