Review: Hidden Barn Bourbon Finished in French Oak
Master distillers have been the face of numerous American distilleries for quite some time. However, on the world stage, the master blenders and tasters are the stars. Jackie Zykan became a well-known name in the bourbon industry over the past decade. With projects such as The 117 Series and a revamped single barrel program, Zykan…
Review: Wines of Argentina, Summer 2024 Releases
The world of wine is currently seeing some interesting shifts in 2024. Some countries find themselves with a glut of bottles in surplus, while others are pulling their vines due to an overcrowded market and low demand. No country feels immune to change and Argentina is no exception. However, the shift down in South America…
Review: Maker’s Mark The Heart Release 2024 Limited Release
Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series finally gets its (first) 2024 release with The Heart Release, which eschews Maker’s Mark‘s arcane acronymical naming convention for something more poetic. Previous installments, denoted with names like BEP and FAE-02, have offered outstanding quality for the price. Unusually, Maker’s doesn’t provide much information at all about what makes The…
Review: Wines of CV Wines, 2024 Releases
Nested within California’s Paso Robles district along the Central Coast, Continental Vineyards (CV) is a sister label to Broken Earth Winery, releasing only wines sourced from its estate vineyards, produced in highly limited editions and only during exceptional vintage years. Today, we’re taking a closer look at the latest vintages in its portfolio, all released…
Review: Teeling Single Pot Still Virgin Swedish Oak Irish Whiskey
Teeling’s third installment in its Wonders of Wood series — following Chinkapin Oak and Portuguese Oak — is here, and the Irish distillery is turning to its most northern wood source yet: Sweden. WOW #3 is a single pot still whiskey (as usual) that is aged in virgin Swedish white oak. (All three whiskeys in…
Review: Wines of Hard Working Wines, 2024 Releases
McPrice Myers recently launched a new label of (very) affordable wines called Hard Working Wines — all made not with generic Central Valley fruit but rather (for the most part) more prized Paso Robles grapes. And yet prices on all of these wines are kept to just $20 a bottle. Let’s dig in. 2021 High…
Review: 2009 Cantine Florio Marsala Vergine Reserva
Marsala is rarely sipped by itself in the U.S., most often appearing as the cooking wine used to make veal or chicken marsala. But like Port and sherry, Marsala is a fortified wine that can be crafted and aged to be distinctive and enjoyable on its own. Today we sample the highest classification of Marsala,…
Review: Firestone Walker XPA
So you want an IPA but you don’t want a big, boozy experience? Firestone Walker’s 5% abv Extra Pale Ale (XPA) offers a potential (albeit seasonal) solution inspired by our friends down under. To wit: “XPA is the number one craft beer style in Australia and it’s something we’re excited to champion it here in…
