Review: 2020 Domaine de Cala Coteaux Varois en Provence
For 2020, Provence’s Domaine de Cala Rose arrives as a blend of grenache (46%), cinsault (41%), rolle (10.5%), and syrah (2.5%) — a somewhat simpler makeup than in years past. Pale but fragrant with mixed florals on the nose, the wine quickly moves to flavors dominated by grapefruit, citrus peel, and a fair amount of honey.…
Review: Bardstown Bourbon Phifer Pavitt Reserve II
Bardstown Bourbon Co. has gone back to the well with Napa winery Phifer Pavitt, offering a second edition of its Phifer Pavitt Reserve bourbon, which is finished for 18 months in Pavitt’s cabernet sauvignon barrels. In 2019 this started off as a 9 year old Tennessee straight bourbon (84% corn, 8% rye, 8% barley). Now…
Review: 2017 and 2018 Caprio Cellars Eleanor Red Wine
Washington’s Caprio Cellars focuses on Bordeaux varietals. Today we take a look at two vintages of Eleanor, the winery’s flagship bottling and a blend of four of the five major Bordeaux grapes. 2017 Caprio Cellars Eleanor Red Wine Walla Walla Valley – 50% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 12% malbec, and 10% cabernet franc. On the…
Review: Mars Whisky Iwai 45, Komagatake 2020, and Tsunuki the First
While it’s lesser known than fellow Japanese distilleries Suntory and Nikka, Mars claims a distilling history that dates back to 1909, though it only began producing whisky in 1949. Mars now operates two distilleries. Shinshu, the main distillery, is tucked away at 2,625 feet in the Nagano Alps and is Japan’s highest whisky distillery. Tsunuki…
Review: Chivas Regal 12 Years Old
Chivas Regal’s flagship 12 year old bottling was probably the first Scotch I ever tried (alongside perhaps a sip of Cutty Sark), and as far as I can remember I haven’t had it again ever since, outside of the occasional “open bar” wedding. But despite my failure to keep up with the brand, Chivas has…
Review: 2019 Pieropan Soave Classico DOC
It’s our third round with Pieropan’s Soave Classico. 2019 sees notes of pineapple, canned peaches, and a gentle floral character that underpins the fruit. A light note of sugar cookie dough and some honeydew give the finish a lift; this vintage doesn’t see the sour elements that have emerged in prior years. On the whole,…
Review: Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale, Union Jack IPA, and Pivo Pils
It’s hard to believe Firestone Walker is old enough to celebrate its very own quarter-life crisis, but the sturdy little brewery from Paso Robles has managed to age quite well and grow into quite the juggernaut of an award-winning company. To celebrate its quadricentennial, FW has packaged three of its most popular offerings into a…
On Giraffes and Glenmorangie
At its core, marketing is a peculiar craft. Every day at Drinkhacker HQ, our inboxes fill with product press releases and exciting announcements about executive promotions at booze companies. While some pitches are straightforward with few antics or gimmicks, others defy description. Then there are the ones that catch our attention and reel us in,…
