Review: 2016 Louis M. Martini Lot No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
It’s been a year since our last spin with Louis M. Martini’s top-shelf Lot No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, and for this 2016 release I’m experiencing a much different animal. There’s a bold blackberry note on the nose — a bit short of sweet currants — that masks some of the denser herbal and tarry qualities…
Review: Bruichladdich Black Art 8.1
Bruichladdich has a famous devotion to transparency when it comes to what’s in its whiskies, with one exception: Black Art, a single malt that’s vatted from any number of types of casks, differing (wildly) with every release but never enumerated. Black Art does carry an age statement, though, and a vintage statement. Black Art 8.1…
Review: 2018 William Hill Benchmark Chardonnay
William Hill’s top-level white wine, while it’s effusive on the nose, is — wow — surprisingly thin in body, lacking the gravitas one expects from a top-tier Napa chardonnay. Gentle floral and citrus aromas offer a lively introduction, but the palate doesn’t really follow through. Notes of figs and some cookie dough elements emerge on…
Review: Lagavulin Distillers Edition 2020 – Distilled 2005
It has been close to a decade since we last visited Lagavulin’s Distillers Edition, an annual fixture on Diageo’s extensive release calendar. Special editions within Lagavulin’s portfolio are nothing new: the 12-year old Special Release, Distillers Edition, and Feis Ile expressions annually lead this charge. Recently, Diageo has taken the liberty to expand on the…
Review: Warfield Brewery Ketchum Kolsch, Magnanimous Lager, and Canary’s Casket
Warfield is both a brewery and distillery in Ketchum, Idaho, with a strong focus on using local and, especially, organic ingredients. Today we look at three beers from the operation, two standard-issue varieties and one decidedly rare release. Warfield Brewery Ketchum Kolsch – A chewy, bready, but not overwhelmingly malty beer, this is how a kolsch…
Review: Barrell Bourbon Infinite Barrel Project (Various 2020 Bottlings)
Anyone passing even the quickest of glimpses over the latest lifestyle listicle or award competition winners would be aware Barrell has the hot hand coming out of Kentucky at the moment. With a prolific series of unique blends alongside their high-quality eponymous offering, they’ve offered something for nearly every taste and preference on the spectrum.…
Review: 2018 Talbott Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Block 50 South
A block selection of chardonnay from Talbott’s Sleepy Hollow Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, this is a prime example of California chardonnay at the height of its game. A rich vein of brown butter, applesauce, and sweet vanilla kicks things off, but the expected unctuousness and thick oak notes never materialize. Instead, the wine…
Review: Town Branch Kentucky Single Malt Whiskey Cask Strength
It has been seven years since having the opportunity to review Town Branch’s underwhelming bourbon offering. Making a return visit to reassess quality over time was always intended but never panned out. Four years later, Christopher reviewed the Town Branch Single Malt and was genuinely impressed with its overall quality and value, an assessment with…
