Review: Yebiga “PRVA” Rakija
I first became acquainted with rakija — widely known as raki — through Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, where it seemed like he was always sipping on the stuff, invariably with a grimace on his face. Raki is the national drink of Turkey and is widely produced in eastern Europe and the western countries of the former…
Review: 2019 Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon
Chile’s Lapostolle has a wide range of wines ranging from $15 carmenere to over-$100 blends. This bottling drinks like the higher tier, though it’s priced quite affordably at $25. The wine (85% cabernet plus some carmenere and cabernet franc) is rich and soulful, an iconic cab-heavy study of currants and turned earth, licorice and spice…
Review: Double Cross Vodka (2021)
Way back in 2009, we reviewed the then-new Double Cross Vodka, a Slovakian distillate of winter wheat, bottled in an iconic — but tough to handle — rectangular bottle. Well, Double Cross is still on the market, and in 2021 they finally switched up the bottle, opting for a more traditional (and sustainable) look that…
Review: Russell’s Reserve Bourbon 13 Years Old (2021)
Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve brand tends to fly under the radar a bit, but ignoring this latest release would be a mistake. It might be the best bottling ever to come out under the label. You’re getting a 13 year old cask-strength bourbon, available for a limited time. Here’s a bit of the story behind…
Review: Wilderton Botanical Distillates
Wilderton is a craft non-alcoholic distillery based in Oregon whose founders Brad Whiting and Seth O’Malley “came together for a new vision of distilling.” That vision? To create botanicals-based distillates without alcohol, their premise being that flavor makes a great cocktail, not booze. To achieve the level of complexity and character needed to carry a…
Review: Single-Serve Wines of Le Grand Verre, 2021 Releases
Single-serve wines don’t often get a lot of love, but Le Grand Verre, a new brand landing in the U.S. this summer, wants to change that. Le Grand Verre describes itself pretty simply, as a “single serve, ethical, proprietarily designed, and predominantly female produced boutique wine collection of France.” Here’s some backstory: Envisioned by three…
Visiting The Industrious Spirits Company, Providence’s First Post-Prohibition Distillery
New England travelers have long known Providence — Rhode Island’s capital and economic center — as an underrated gem. It’s famous for a thriving arts community, diverse food scene (with an emphasis on seafood), and proximity to coastal havens like Newport. And while the city’s bars and restaurants have drawn crowds for decades, the distilling…
Review: 2020 La Vieille Ferme Blanc
You could do a lot worse with a cheap French white wine than this blend of Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc, and Vermentino that hails from the Rhone (but which bears only a “product of France” designation). Brightly fruited with a melange of peach, pear, and lemon, it finds room for moderated elements of coconut…
