Review: Appleton Estate Rum Hearts Collection 1998
With its Hearts Collection, Appleton has really come into its own as one of the premiere producers of rum globally. This collection is a series of very limited releases, offering ultra-aged, single-vintage rums from the years 1994, 1995, 1999, 1984, 2003, 1993, 2002, and now 1998. We’ve reviewed only the last two of these, and now…
Review: El Buho Mezcal – Jabali, Mexicano, and Tepeztate
We recently re-reviewed El Buho Mezcal Espadin to see how it had changed since we first tried it 12 years ago. Now we’re back with the rest of the line of mezcals El Buho, including one made with Jabali, which is a variety that rarely makes it to the U.S. These are more adventurous varieties…
Inside Bord Bia, Ireland’s Big Global Spirits Push
Irish spirits — whiskey in particular — is one of the fastest growing liquor categories in America. U.S.-based sales of Irish whiskey are up over 90 percent in the last decade. Much of that growth comes from major brands like Jameson and Bushmills, but dozens of new labels are gaining market share as well as…
Review: Wines of Truth and Valor, 2021 Vintage
Truth and Valor produces a range of wines — all reds — in the Paso Robles area. Recently we received the full lineup of wines from the winery, all from the 2021 vintage. Let’s taste. 2021 Truth and Valor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles – A gooey expression of blueberry jam, filtered through anise and tannin.…
Review: Lost Irish Whiskey
Lost Irish burst on the scene a few years ago as the brain child of whiskey expert and writer Tim Herlihy, who figured he could do something a little different in what has long been the relatively sleepy yet growing category of Irish whiskey. The idea: “modernize the category and offer whiskey that travels beyond…
Review: Devil’s Foot Non-Alcoholic Craft Sodas
When is a RTD cocktail not a cocktail? When it’s a soda. These products may have the names of cocktails on the cans, but the non-alcoholic beverages are technically all sodas, as they don’t really pretend to be cocktails but rather fizzy drinks that draw inspiration from boozy drinks. All are collaborations with breweries, mostly…
Review: Rolling Fork The Wheated Wonder Rum
Rum has a long tradition with historically colonial islands. While many rum-producing islands are now independent of their colonizers, the original mother countries in Europe are still involved in the rum production process. Most of the rums on the market are distilled in tropical climates, but they’re not necessarily aged in tropical climates for the…
Review: Saint Viviana Dealcoholized Wines
Saint Viviana is retailer The Zero Proof’s proprietary line of non-alcoholic wines, made by California winemakers by dealcoholizing “fantastic wine,” and keeping additives (like oak extract) to a minimum. A white and a red are on offer. We tried both. Saint Viviana Sauvignon Blanc Dealcoholized Wine – This definitely smells the part, with a brisk…
